Country Zest & Style Spring 2020 Edition by Country Zest & Style

ZES ST T & Sty t lel SPRING 2020

Country

Margaret Littleton, Laurie Volk and Lauren Woolcott

WONDER WOMEN

Who Make Things Happen PRSRT MKTG U.S. PoStaGe

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Personalities, Celebrations and Sporting Pursuits

110 E. Washington St. | P.O. Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmahon.com

CATESBY FARM

FIDELIO

AQUINNAH

SPRING GLADE

MiDDLEBUrg, VirgiNiA

THE PLAiNS, VirgiNiA

rECTOrTOWN, VirgiNiA

MiDDLEBUrg, VirgiNiA

gracious georgian Manor home, 11,000 sf, built in 1930 | Updated and suitable for large scale entertaining | 7 Br, 7 1/2 BA, 7 FP | High ceilings, formal gardens & private setting | Belmont style stable w/30 stalls and 2 apartments | 4 Br guest house/entertainment complex, 4-car garage w/office | 4 restored tenant houses, skeet range, pool & tennis court | 241 acres recorded in 3 parcels | Land mostly open & rolling with bold mountain views, numerous ponds and vineyard

Prime Fauquier County location minutes from Middleburg | Unbelievable finishes throughout | Antique floors and mantels, vaulted ceilings | 6 Br, 5 full, 2 half BA | 6 FP, gourmet kitchen | Improvements include office/studio, stone cottage with office, spa, guest house, pool and lighted tennis court | Landscaped grounds with stream, waterfalls, boxwood and special plantings | 61 acres

residence circa 1850 has been completely updated | 7 bedrooms, 7 1/2 baths, 6 fireplaces | Mountain views | gourmet kitchen with gas range, subzero fridge | Master suite with balcony | indoor heated pool, attached gym, par terre garden, greenhouse, tennis courts | Separate building office or guest house | New 8 stall center aisle barn with office and tack room | riding ring, new fencing, 200 degree mountain views with unbelievable sunsets

French Country home, recent renovations | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 half BA, 5 FP, hardwood floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop setting overlooking lake & mountains | improvements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 Br guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | 79.89 acres

$3,900,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$9,950,000

$8,750,000

$4,850,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

CASTLE MOUNTAIN FARM

SALEM HILL

LANGHORNE FARM

CASTLETON, VirgiNiA

MArSHALL, VirgiNiA

UPPErViLLE, VirgiNiA

HUNTLY, VirgiNiA

292 acre private hunting preserve in rappahannock County | 30 minutes from Warrenton and 20 minutes to Culpeper | Broad mountain views, spring fed pond, about 1 mile of Thornton river frontage, trails, machine shed and barn | Maintained trails for hunting and hiking through the diverse property | Some open and some wooded - lovely grounds | Property is in VOF Conservation Easement | Custom built residence includes 5 Br and 4 1/2 BA, main level master BR, gourmet kitchen, maple floors, generator and much more

266 acres in Piedmont Hunt | Panoramic views of the Blue ridge, Bull run and Cobbler mountains which surround the whole property | improvements include 4 farmhouses, an iconic red dairy barn and many agricultural buildings | Ponds and traditional stone walls | This working farm is protected by a Virginia Outdoors Foundation conservation easement which allows 2 parcels

297.45 acres recorded in 5 parcels | rolling and rising land, pasture and mature woods | 2 ponds, creek, elevated building sites | Close to Flint Hill, Little Washington & Front royal

$3,750,000 Margaret carroll 540.454.0650 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

OLD ALDIE RECTORY

$3,690,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

ZACHARY TAYLOR HWY

$1,500,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

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BUST HEAD ROAD

ELMORE FARM

WINCHESTER STREET

ALDiE, VirgiNiA

THE PLAiNS, VirgiNiA

MArKHAM, VirgiNiA

WArrENTON, VirgiNiA

Historic home circa 1803, in village of Aldie | Originally a parsonage, part of land surveyed by george Washington | Four bedrooms, two full and one half bath, six fireplaces and old wood floors | Front and rear porches, garden, in-ground pool, hot tub, entertainment area, gazebo, walkways and patios | Large studio or office | Conservation easement | B & B potential

Elmore Farm c. 1820â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on 40 acres bound by goose Creek | gracious old home with original floors and stone fireplaces, high ceilings and huge back porch | 4+ bedrooms and in-law suite | Bright kitchen with family room addition for todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living | great views and open pasture & pond | True old Virginia home

Very private home with 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths | Lots of light - All brick colonial home surrounded by mature plantings and extensive hardscape | Located in the Warrenton historic district | Detached 2 car garage, in-ground pool & fenced patio | Fully finished basement with separate entrance | Master bedroom balcony over looks pool

$1,200,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$1,100,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

$725,000

$595,000

helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

Margaret carroll 540.454.0650 ann MacMahon 540.687.5588

Oh, You Great Big Beautiful Doll

By Carina Elgin

ne recent day, Doll romped in a tufted, grassy field, then plunged dramatically into the cool, dark water of a nearby pond. With a roll and several vigorous shakes, she returned to her owner, Diane Casey, showing the enthusiasm for life so characteristic of Golden Retrievers. Just a week earlier, Casey had watched nervously from the top of the metal stands at New York’s Pier 94, as “GCHB CH Casey’s All Dolled Up” competed with 47 of the country’s best Goldens as part of the iconic Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Photo courtesy of Diane Casey Many will recall “Daniel,” the No. 1 Golden Doll prepping at who won the Sporting Group in February Westminster 2020 to qualify with six others for Best in Show at Madison Square Garden. And, “Doll” was named “Select Bitch,” an enormous honor for a farm dog from Marshall, Virginia. And, she has the honor of being presented in the top twenty at the Golden Retrievers National Show this fall. Casey began breeding Goldens in 1990. She and her husband, Maurice, a wellregarded large animal veterinarian in Northern Fauquier County, owned a small animal veterinary clinic in Tallahassee, Florida. “Having dealt with a great variety of dog breeds through the clinic, the Goldens impressed me with their great dispositions,” Casey said. “Goldens are safe around children and other pets, easy to train, great companions and smart.” In 1995, the Caseys moved to their farm outside Marshall, operating Casey Veterinary Services together. While her husband breeds Thoroughbred race horses, Diane likes to ride, fox hunt and breed show dogs. Now that their three children are grown, Casey particularly enjoys the company of her dogs at home. While she didn’t originally have the goal of showing at the top levels when she started breeding, she said, “it sort of evolved as the girls were successful in the ring. “I really want to breed the best dog I can: health, disposition and structure. Breeders present what they have bred at the shows, and by attending, we can evaluate and plan future breedings. The goal is always to meet breed standards and breed the best dog we can, but it’s also a lot of fun.” Judging from the dogs Casey has bred, she has an impressive record with multiple champions and grand champions. Casey usually keeps the “pick of the litter” puppy, then shows that dog, gets all health clearances and eventually breeds her. Having raised several generations of her own dogs, she has confidence in their dispositions and health. Casey’s Barbee and her daughter, Doll (Casey’s All Dolled Up), are the best known. Both qualified and showed at Westminster. When Doll is competing, she stays with her handler, Kristin Lyons, in a motor home, travelling to shows every weekend. Casey goes to the bigger shows to watch, trying not to distract Doll by staying out of her dog’s sight/sound/smell range until the classes are over. Doll is home in Marshall most of the time, including right before Westminster. Quite the professional, she got a little time off to perfect her beautiful golden coat, after all that running, swimming and rolling on the farm. Will-o-Bee Mine seems to be Casey’s next rising star, following a win in a fivepoint major in Tennessee. Casey flew to Louisville to watch her compete, and “to check out potential breeding boys.” Though more Casey puppies are being planned, the waiting list is long for those interested in acquiring one. Not all the puppies end up in the show ring. Some have become therapy or service dogs, others have excelled at agility or hunting trials. One thing is certain—all her Goldens are beloved family members. Just ask Doll as she rockets across the field after a well-chewed tennis ball.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

of NOTE

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BE ON THE LOOKOUT through this issue of

ZEST & Style ZES ST TStytlel &

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Distributed and mailed throughout the Virginia countryside and in Washington and at key Sporting Pursuits and Celebrations

PHONE: 410-570-8447 Editor: Leonard Shapiro, badgerlen@aol.com Wine Editor: Peter Leonard-Morgan Food Editor: Daniela Anderson Art Director Meredith Hancock/Hancock Media @mhancockmedia Contributing Photographers: Crowell Hadden, Doug Gehlsen, Douglas Lees, Karen Monroe and Tiffany Dillon Keen ILLUSTRATORS Crowell Hadden and Daniela Anderson Contributing Writers: Jimmy Hatcher, Linda Roberts, Childs Burden, Melissa Phipps, Kevin Ramundo, Justin Haefner, Sebastian Langenberg, Sophie Scheps Langenberg, Caroline Fout, Emma Boyce, M.J. McAteer, Tom Northrup, Tom Wiseman, Jimmy Wofford, Mike du Pont, Leslie VanSant, Louisa Woodville, Sean Clancy, Carina Elgin, Jodi Nash, Mara Seaforest ADVERTISING Kate Robbins, Katepolo@icloud.com For advertising inquiries, contact: Leonard Shapiro at badgerlen@aol.com or 410-570-8447

ON THE COVER Margaret Littleton, a board member of the Virginia Gold Cup, is wearing a Perriwinkle and white geometric wave tunic by Too Fan with a new style synched collar from Chloe’s in Middleburg. Laurie Volk, chair of the Hunt Country Stable Tour, is sporting a striking orange shirt with a fun pattern of zebras from The Colony Shop near Berryville. Lauren Woolcott, chairman of the board of the Middleburg Spring Race Association, has a body skimming green glove leather jacket with a slight flare from English Country Classics in Middleburg. The silk lining is a peacock feather design. The Hemlock rail fence is courtesy of Calob Harshman of blueridgefenceco.com. With many thanks to the Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg affable and talented photographer Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo. Photo / @countryzestandstyle

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GOOD HEALTH TO ONE AND ALL

ith COVID-19 virus spreading rapidly around the planet, it sometimes feels as if we’re now smack in the middle of a science fiction movie. Clearly though, this is not fiction. The New Normal now includes an unfamiliar concept called social distancing, avoiding close contact with our fellow human beings. We’re washing our hands, not touching our faces, coughing into our arms, greeting each other by bumping fists and elbows or toe-tapping our shoes. And yet, life goes on, and so does Country ZEST & Style, bringing a bit of diverting joy to our faithful readers. Not that we haven’t been affected, though in a very small way. This is spring in the countryside of Virginia, a time for all manner of events in Flowers Speak to Me by Barbara Sharp. the next few months, many of which have been rescheduled. We’ll get that word out on our website countryzestandsyle.com and our companion website, middleburgmystique.com In this still jam-packed issue, we offer a variety of good reads about our fascinating corner of the world. We’ve got a wonderful new column—“Carry Me Back”— from long-time resident Jimmy Hatcher, about riding with his friend, the late Pamela Harriman. There’s a terrific profile by Louisa Woodville on Claudia Pfeiffer, the immensely talented curator responsible for so many magnificent exhibits at the National Sporting Library & Museum. Another healthy way to get through all of this may be to spend more time in the garden. We have a story on the Oatlands gardens in Leesburg as well as a piece on Bob Dornin, the man who lovingly maintains the gorgeous grounds on the 137-acre Hill School campus. And so, we offer the spring issue of Country ZEST & Style, while extending our very best wishes for good health for one and all. It’s obviously a great time to add a little ZEST in your life, and when you’re done, please go wash your hands. Leonard Shapiro Editor Badgerlen@aol.com

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Country SIDE

Kevin Ramundo

Development Threatens Historic Village of St. Louis By Kevin Ramundo

ou may have noticed numerous signs west of Middleburg opposing a subdivision on Snake Hill Road in the historic village of St. Louis. The developer, MOJAX, LLC, is seeking approval for 30 homes on 19 acres that would jeopardize important historic African-American resources and the identity of the village itself. Plus, there are very serious questions about the potential impact on well-water availability for existing and new residents and the destruction of important wetlands. With all these preservation threats, it’s highly contradictory that the developer has named the St. Louis sign of the times. project Middleburg Preserve. At least it’s less contradictory than if the name chosen was St. Louis Preserve. St. Louis was the first and largest African-American community in Loudoun County and was settled immediately after the Civil War by the formerly enslaved. Most of the new homes would surround a historic African-American house of worship, the Mount Zion Baptist Church, and an African-American cemetery with as many as 50 graves. As a small concession to the community, the developer is restricted from building within 50 feet of the cemetery. The village of St. Louis could easily be overrun by the new subdivision. The 90 existing homes there would increase by about 30 percent and the new, likely larger homes would be out of character with the area. This village would end up like so many other African-American historic places destroyed by development in Loudoun County and elsewhere around the U.S. It would be ironic if this subdivision were allowed to proceed after the nearby African-American village of Willisville was recently placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Given the significant number of proposed homes, the development poses serious risks to the water supply, which, according to the community, is already running short. Residents report that many older wells have gone dry, and newer wells drilled to a depth of 600 -700 feet produce as little as two gallons per minute. Loudoun County is well aware of the water issues and has rejected two previous residential developments in St. Louis due to insufficient water. For subdivisions of more than nine homes, Loudoun typically requires a hydro-geologic study to help determine if sufficient water exists. The developer requested a waiver of the study, which was denied by the county, and has recently filed for a nine-lot subdivision at the same location while the previous application for about three times as many homes has not been withdrawn. Many believe this is an attempt to circumvent the requirement for the hydro-geologic study while ultimately pursuing the larger subdivision. Speaking of water, significant swaths of wetlands run through the subject property. These wetlands should be protected because they reduce the risk of flooding, which happens regularly in the village, and provide an important source of ground water for nearby wells and the Goose Creek watershed, which supplies drinking water to the county. In fact, the developer has been cited by Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for wetlands violations associated with other land-clearing activities. The DEQ’s enforcement action is not the first time this project has run afoul of authorities. Loudoun issued a stop work order in April, 2018 for grading without a permit, and another a year later for illegal land disturbance. Finally, the proposed development conflicts with the county’s comprehensive plan adopted last year which prohibits high-density housing development in rural historic villages. If you’d like to find out more and join the community effort to oppose Middleburg Preserve, please see the website: FriendsofStLouis.org. I’d also encourage you to communicate your concerns to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors at bos@loudoun.gov.

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Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Claudia Pfeiffer:

A Passion for Sporting Art “Turner initially hired me as a six-month temp to help him finish his book,” Claudia said, referring to the 880-page Animal & Sporting Artists in America—the basis of that first exhibition. “It ended up taking us over a decade to get it done from there.”

By Louisa Woodville

She worked for Reuter, a mentor for 13 years, ultimately becoming director of Red Fox Fine Art, Reuter’s sporting art gallery in Middleburg. Over those years, she developed an invaluable network. “When I moved here, I really didn’t know a lot about sporting art,” she said. “I was expecting to be a six--month temp. But then I fell in love with sporting art history and culture and the people who still live it today.” Peter Winants (1926-2009), the renowned late editor, author, and steeplechasing expert, was the first director of the National Sporting Library. He helped Claudia learn the ropes when she visited the library for research. Walking around the museum now is an illuminating experience, with special exhibitions and the permanent collection mounted on two floors. “There are so many great stories here,” she said, pointing to portraits by acclaimed artist Ellen Emmet Rand, one of the current exhibitions.

Photo by Douglas Lees

The versatile Claudia Pfeiffer greets friends and members of the National Sporting Library & Museum at various events.

“There’s something really powerful about that sense of time and place that sporting art represents,” she said. “There’s a universal truth to it.”

s the George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Head Curator of Middleburg’s National Sporting Library and Museum, Claudia Pfeiffer and her staff of two oversee the exhibitions the NSLM mounts. “We do everything soup to nuts,” Claudia said. “My role is to come up with the exhibition—its thesis or theme—and find the artwork to support it.” She’s been curator since March, 2012. In October 2011, the museum launched its inaugural exhibition, Afield in America: 400 Years of Animal & Sporting Art. The curator of that exhibition, Turner Reuter, had worked with Claudia since she and her husband, Ron, first moved to the area inn 1998. “Ron’s parents had a farm in Landenberg, in southern Chester County [Pennsylvania],” she said. “In the mid-‘90s, we were seeing farmland convert to suburbs quite quickly. So we came here where people were very much invested in keeping the countryside. “ Today Ron, Claudia, and their two children — Walter, 11, and Chloe,9—live just outside Front Royal.

Another exhibition, Phyllis Mills Wyeth: A Celebration, features 31 works by Phyllis’ husband Jamie Wyeth, the renowned portrait painter from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. As a teenager, Phyllis was partially paralyzed in a car accident, ending her days of fox hunting, point-to-point racing, and other activities she loved. Despite this setback, she continued to embrace life, becoming a competitive driver of Connemara ponies and combined driving. “One of the things about these paintings is that Phyllis Mills Wyeth’s story is really powerful,” Claudia said. “She has a broken neck, it takes a year to recover, and she walks with crutches until 2000 when she’s then in a wheelchair. People who knew her never saw her that way because she’s such a tenacious spirit and just such a force of nature. She never really let that love of being an equestrian diminish in anyway. She became a champion carriage driver instead.” “The exhibition is an intimate tribute by one of the most recognized artists of our time to his (late) wife,” Claudia said, adding that It’s “a loving testimony to their 50-year marriage, and the embodiment of Phyllis’s tenacious spirit.”

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Photo by Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo

Curator Claudia Pfeiffer speaks frequently on the subject of the latest museum exhibition she’s produced. Most of the exhibitions are organized and installed by Claudia and her team, Collections Manager Lauren Kraut and Art Handler Alex Orfila. First, they present an exhibition idea to the NSLM’s Museum Exhibitions and Collection Committee. If an idea is accepted, Claudia gets to work. After identifying works from the NSLM’s own collection, the hunt is on for works from other museums or private collections. Curating and mounting an exhibition entails overseeing many details, from conceptually designing the exhibition to securing the loans of art, labeling the works with words that engage the viewer, and writing a catalog that must appeal to a broad range— scholars, neighbors, or visitors from afar. The museum is broadening its reach with such exhibitions and in other exciting ways. “There was a sense before the museum opened that this was a scholastic institute on the hill that was only for special people or a special type of person to access,” Claudia said. “One of our goals for posterity is that we’re engaging everyone to connect with country life because no one wants to see it go away. That’s a huge part of what we do.”

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Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

For Bob Dornin, It’s Always Been the Great Outdoors

By Leonard Shapiro

ob Dornin likes to say, “I’ve never had an indoor job my entire life.” At The Hill School in Middleburg, where he’s been the school’s beloved grounds supervisor since 2002, its lush 137-acre campus is all the better for it. All around are wooded areas, spectacular shrubbery, gorgeous gardens, blooming meadows and well-manicured playing fields. And there’s a 1 1/4-mile paved trail constantly utilized by walkers, runners and cyclists grateful to have such a welcoming facility so close to the village. Surely, Dornin was born for this job. His late father, Robert T. Dornin, was a revered Hill science teacher from 1960 to 1985. His son actually had his dad as his teacher as a member of Hill’s Class of 1972. “It made it a little awkward when he was calling out your buddies in class for doing stupid things,” Dornin said. “But his passion for the natural world is the reason I’m doing what I do now. He had a great impact on many other kids, including a few who teach here now.” Dornin’s road back to Hill took several intriguing twists and turns. He went to Woodberry Forest, started college at Colorado State, took a few years off to work construction, then earned a forestry degree at Virginia Tech. He initially worked for a tree company “where I started out dragging brush all day, and doing some high climbing. Because I also knew my way around plants, I was doing estimates and consulting.” He eventually started his own landscape business.

Bob Dornin and Hill students out in the field. But after a dozen years of navigating the beltway and ever-increasing traffic, he was ready for a change. In 2000, his father invited him to a symposium focusing on the future of Hill’s campus. That year, his company also began to do maintenance on the property two days a week. Two years later, Dornin approached then Head of School Tom Northrup and asked if he’d consider hiring him full time. “We would come here for two days,” Dornin said, “but when we came back the next week, we were constantly losing ground.. Plus, the school had such a diverse, dynamic group of people, I thought it would be a great place to work.” Northrup agreed, and this clearly was a match that was meant to be. Now, Dornin and his two part-time assistants, Miguel Martinez and Jose Duran, do it all, and then some. “We manage all the gardens, we mulch, fertilize, prune and maintain all the trees,” he said. “Every year we add more to the list. We’re always planting, always trying new things. And it’s constantly evolving. Sunny gardens 20 years ago are now shady gardens. Everything is in constant motion.” Dornin also gives great credit to Polly Rowley, who

designed much of the Hill landscape, including what is now called the Rowley Arboretum. “She was out here in jeans, on her hands and knees every spring for about 10 years,” Dornin said. These days, Dornin is in the process of turning what once was a hayfield into an area for habitat and wildlife restoration. “We’re converting pasture grass into warm season meadow grasses that will support flowering plants, bugs and pollinators,” Dornin said. “That will help increase bird diversity. We’re planting shrub thickets for predator cover, so foxes, rabbits and songbirds will be back.” Dornin also helps with student outdoor projects, an aspect of the job he truly cherishes. “The kids are outside on the property doing all kinds of neat things,” he said. “Art projects, math projects, and the science department uses the grounds extensively. It’s a wonderful thing.” And so is the nature of his work. “There are so many things to do around here, and there are still a million things that go undone every day,” he said. “But there’s always tomorrow, and you can still come back and do it the next day. That’s what makes it so interesting.”

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Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Carry Me BACK

Always an Adventure With Pamela Harriman

Get the primary care experience you deserve Same-day or next-day appointments Reach your doctor after hours

By Jimmy Hatcher

hen Averell Harriman and his wife, Pamela, purchased the property along the Foxcroft Road in 1974, I had been leasing a barn from the previous owner, Millicent West. Averell’s father, railroad baron E.H. Harriman, and several other Wall Street financiers, had started the Orange County Hunt in 1904 and Averell had been a joint master in 1914-15. When he was at Yale, he often took a train down to The Plains, then hunted on Saturday and Sunday and was back to class on Monday. I once asked Mr. Harriman how many Photo by Janet Hitchen for The Middleburg Mystique © 2001. horses he needed when he hunted and he Pamela Harriman enjoyed many told me it was usually two a day. Of course, fine days out riding in Middleburg. his man needed a horse, as well. One of them was always lame, so seven horses a weekend, and they definitely got a workout. Before the Harrimans moved into their new Middleburg residence, there was a fire in the basement of the main house. Back then, the farm manager’s home was out of sight from the main house, but right next to it was a small log cabin. Mrs. Harriman asked me if I would move in to the cabin if they renovated it. They wanted me to be there so I could keep an eye on the main residence. When they moved to Middleburg in ’74, Pamela started to ride again. I had actually called her secretary one day and asked if Pamela would like me to show her all the trails on the property. Her secretary told me Pamela had once gone out alone and been lost for three hours, and she would welcome having me along. So I started riding with her. Then she decided she wanted to jump again. She had done that as a little girl, she hadn’t jumped since 1938. Her father was Lord Digby in England and she had competed in hunter trials and horse shows. When she came here, she occasionally took the field. I rode with her for ten years and we became good friends. She stopped riding after she started doing some campaign work when Bill Clinton ran for president. In addition to our riding, we also had some other interesting adventures. One Sunday there was a knock on my log cabin door. It was Pamela, with an odd question. Her son, Winston Churchill, was going into the air taxi business in the North Sea, and Pamela had bought him a plane in Texas. His pilot went down there to get the plane and flew it up to Dulles. The pilot and Winston had to fly back to England that Sunday night. Did I know anyone who could get her $5,000 in cash? Why cash? She explained that they had to stop in Greenland on the way to re-fuel the plane, and the Greenland fueling station did not take credit cards. It was cash only on a Sunday night. My local knowledge came in very handy that morning. I knew that Billy Leach, who had been the mayor of Middleburg and also owned the hardware store in the village, actually had a big safe in the store. I told her to call Billy to see if he might be able to help. He told her come on down to the store right away and he’d see what he could do. Needless to say, she got the $5,000 out of the safe, they gassed up the plane in Greenland and went on their merry way to jolly old England. Jimmy Hatcher, a native of Richmond, is a long-time rider and fox-hunter and moved to the Middleburg area in 1966.

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COVID-19: A Black Swan Event?

By Tom Wiseman

nly a few weeks ago, if you read the above headline you might think to yourself, “is that some sort of covert Navy Seal mission?” Regrettably, it most certainly is not. And unless you’ve been living under a rock, I don’t have to tell you anything about “COVID-19,” except to stay safe. However, you may not know what constitutes a “Black Swan Event.” The saying originally comes from an ancient expression when black swans were thought not to exist, until they were eventually found living in the wild.

Tom Wiseman

More recently, in relation to financial market events, the expression or theory was coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a financial scholar, in his 2001 book “Fooled by Randomness.” The Black Swan Theory describes an event that comes as a total surprise, has a major impact, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. Past examples of Black Swan events include the dot-com bubble of 2001 or the U.S. housing market during the 2008 financial crisis. These climactic events were only foreseen by a few outliers, and had immense consequences. They also led to much speculation as to how they could have been better predicted in their wake. The practical aim of Taleb’s book was not to attempt to predict events that are unpredictable, but to build a robustness against negative events. In other words, as the Boy Scouts would say, “Be Prepared.” Translated, what I’m saying is that one should be prepared for downturns in the markets and have their financial plans updated, with an appropriate asset allocation for their place in life. Is COVID-19 a Black Swan Event? It certainly seems to be. Of course, we still don’t know the severity or the duration of the coronavirus, and by the time this is published, things will either be much worse or much better. We do know that based on historical Black Swan events, the markets have always come back, the economy has not failed, and toilet paper came back on the shelves at your local grocery store.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

that run 300 years deep.

Thomas Glascock Slater Upperville, 1933

1500 Crenshaw Road • Upperville • VA • 20184 540.878.1476 Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Hunt Country Stable Tour: Wait ’Til Next Year

his year’s 61st annual Hunt Country Stable Tour, produced and for the benefit of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville, had originally been planned for Memorial Day weekend. Instead, it will resume on May 29-30 in 2021. “While we were all reluctant to cancel this much loved event, the decision was inevitable in light of the Corona Virus pandemic,” Laurie Volk, the chair for this year’s event, wrote in a letter to her committee members. “There is so much uncertainty right now…We all felt it is the best decision in these troubling, uncertain times. “We considered postponing the tour until October, but the conditions are changing every day and who knows if it would even be possible to do it then. Therefore, in the interest of the parish, the local community and the touring public, we have cancelled the event.” This year’s Stable Tour was to have included ten-plus stops, but many of the farm and other equine facility owners on the tour have said they hope to participate next year. “A glimmer of good news,” Ms. Volk wrote. “I have been in contact with the majority of the farms who had agreed to be part of the 2020 Stable Tour. They have been very supportive and hope to be part of the 2021 Stable Tour on May 29 & 30.” The tour annually raises money for many worthy causes such as: FISH, Piedmont Child Care Center, Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Foundation, Blue Ridge Hospice, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Mobile Hope health care and disaster relief efforts. “The proceeds earned from the Stable Tour fund our varied outreach programs,” Ms. Volk wrote. “As the result of cancelling the 2020 tour, the Outreach Ministry budget for next year is seriously jeopardized. Nevertheless, the need for outreach in the community will only increase…We welcome your financial support to continue to help those in need through a donation to the Stable Tour.” For most of the last year, Ms.Volk, a widely-regarded attorney, met with landowners to identify the featured tour venues, coordinated publishing brochures, securing advertising and working closely with a committee of volunteers also pitching in, including past chair Kat Gemmer. “There are farms that have participated many times over the years,” Ms. Volk said. “But we like to give them a break and not wear out our welcome. We are always looking to feature a new farm or stop in order to freshen up the tour and entice people to come again. “I also work to identify financial sponsors, businesses in the community who will underwrite specific expenses of the tour such as printing the maps or tickets, lunches for our volunteers, and the Sunday evening party after the tour to celebrate with volunteers, owners and their staff. Overall, I’m the community liaison between church and landowners and local businesses.” Her team also assembles volunteers to staff stables on the day of tour, to put up directional tour signs on roads all around, to provide lunches for volunteers and ticket sales. She has volunteers handling the sale of merchandise in the church courtyard—T-shirts, hats and commemorative glassware, among other items. “Thankfully it’s a well-oiled machine that has operated for 60 years through thick and thin,” she said. Despite the cancellation, Ms. Volk said she’ll continue her work on this very popular event. Her biggest responsibility will be to put together next year’s participating facilities. She’ll also spend considerable time with owners and their staffs to make certain they’ll also have a good experience. “I enjoy working with people, getting to know other members of my church, as well as the landowners and local businesses who all make it happen. It’s all built on the friendship and generosity of so many people over 60 years.”

And despite this year’s cancellation, she added, that will never change.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

To contribute to Trinity’s outreach programs, send checks to Trinity Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 127, Upperville, Virginia 20185, payable to “Trinity Church Outreach,” or donate online at www,trinityupperville.org/give.

Photo by Doug Gehlsen Middleburg Photo

Stable Tour Chair Laurie Volk

Going For The Gold – The Virginia Gold Cup

irginia native Margaret Church Littleton grew up not far from the original Virginia Gold Cup venue at Broadview on the northwest edge of Warrenton. Needless to say, she has many fond memories. “Being horse crazy, the Gold Cup meant great excitement,” Mrs. Littleton recalled. “Picnics, friends, running wild, riding to the course with Viola Windmill in her Tom Thumb coach and six Welsh ponies, and even presenting a trophy with my mother. “If we couldn’t find our parents, we were told to simply wait under the big old landmark oak tree on the hill. Mrs. Windmill gave me one of her retired ponies, who I adored. My grandfather, my father, and my brother, Chuck Church, were all deeply involved with Gold Cup. Chuck was board member and chairman for 25 years before his death in 2001.”

Photo by Doug Gehlsen Middleburg Photo

Margaret Church Littleton

When Mrs. Littleton joined the 11-member Gold Cup board in 2007, she carried on the family tradition and rounded the board to a dozen as the only woman in the group. This year, the prestigious event has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 20 at Great Meadow in The Plains.

The 95th Running of the Virginia Gold Cup Postponed to June 20 The Virginia Gold Cup Association Board of Directors has postponed the Virginia Gold Cup races to Saturday, June 20. All pre-purchased tickets for May 2 will be honored on June 20. If anything changes, the Virginia Gold Cup will update its website www.vagoldcup.com and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vagoldcup.

“It was a thrilling invitation,” she said of joining the board. “I’m part of a varied and interesting group of men, all volunteering their time with the common interest of supporting steeplechase racing in Virginia as a viable sport. We have business and financial members, farmers, lawyers, doctors, owners, trainers, civic servants, a famous race caller, and me.” The goal for the Virginia Gold Cup is to “not make it bigger, but better each year for the horses, owners, trainers, riders, sponsors, and spectators,” she said. “We continue to strive for more sponsors and have the ability to offer more purse money to those who bring their thoroughbreds to run in our races.” Mrs. Littleton grew up on a 250-acre farm in Culpeper County called North Cliff on the Hazel River about 30 minutes from Warrenton. The family farm was totally organic, long before it became fashionable. They had milking cows, hogs, chickens and grew vegetables. “When I was really young, we had work horses, Nancy and Pauline.” she said. “It was an idyllic life in my opinion. I can still smell the earth from plowing time.” In addition to her work on the Gold Cup, Mrs. Littleton also serves on the Middleburg Fall Races board, an iconic event each October at beautiful Glenwood Park, just outside the village. As a horse enthusiast, an active volunteer for saving the countryside, an animal lover of all creatures great and small, a garden club member, the wife of a very special man, and a doting grandmother she said: “I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world. Being part of two racing boards is the icing on the cake.

William Allison, chairman of the Virginia Gold Cup, said, “We recognize the need to pull together and be vigilant in protecting each other from infection. On June 20, we will be implementing measures to ensure that protection. These are unprecedented times and we appreciate the patience and support of our attendees, including owners, trainers and riders.” The 95th Annual Running of the Virginia Gold Cup will take place at Great Meadow in The Plains. Gates open at 10 a.m. with pre-race entertainment starting at 11:30 a.m. with the Jack Russell Terrier Races. Opening ceremony performances at noon include the national anthem performance. The first of six horse races will get underway at 1 p.m. The Virginia Gold Cup Race, presented by the Virginia Gold Cup Association, is the fifth race and takes place at 4 p.m. General admission car passes are $85 (allows entry of car and up to six occupants). All those entering the event grounds under general admission and going to the north or south areas must each have a wrist band. Wrist bands are $25 per person. No charge for children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. Members Hill badges are $55 each (no charge for children 12 and under on Member’s Hill). Tickets are also available at Harris Teeter stores and discounted with a Harris Teeter VIC card. For additional information: www.vagoldcup.com. “I’m fortunate enough to have owned a few horses to race but still waiting for the Gold Cup win,” she said. “That’s horse racing.”

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

RESPECT FOR THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Middleburg Spring Races

auren Woolcott is chairman of the board of the Middleburg Spring Races Association (MSRA), with a spectacular day of steeplechase competition now scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 30 at Glenwood Park. This will mark the 100th edition of this iconic sporting event.

The 100th Running of the Middleburg Spring Races The Middleburg Spring Races will celebrate its 100th running on Saturday, May 30 at Glenwood Park in Middleburg. A gathering that found its humble beginnings in the spring of 1921, this year’s event will be a celebration of the sport of steeplechasing and its partnership with Middleburg’s storied equine history. Founded by the Middleburg Hunt’s Master of Foxhounds, Daniel Cox Sands, as the Middleburg Hunt Race Meet, the Middleburg Spring Races is made up of seven races run over a one-of-akind American steeplechase course. One of these races, coined the ‘Alfred Hunt Steeplechase’, includes every type of jumpable fence—ditches, banks, brush, timber, and coops. The Middleburg Spring Races is a culmination of a love for the land, the horse, and the people who have made the great sport of steeplechasing their life’s work and enduring passion. Details and tickets:www.middleburgspringraces.com, or 540-687-6545.

Mrs. Woolcott joined the board in 1994 and became chairman in 1997. She and her husband, René Woolcott, will be tucked into their tailgate spot on the north side of the judge’s stand entertaining guests and greeting friends as post time approaches. “I was keen to be involved with the Middleburg Spring Race meet, the local race that attracts top steeplechase athletes and is run at a venue with unobstructed, pristine views of the racecourse,” Mrs. Woolcott told Country ZEST. “As a newcomer to the area in the late ’80s, I welcomed the challenge to bring other newcomers to the race meet.” The combination of new people and generations of longtime supporters then and now is one of the strengths of the event, and Mrs. Woolcott believes it has a promising and sound future. “To be part of a 501(c)3 that produces an exciting, dignified, safe day of racing and to satisfy our motto, ‘We Race to Give,’ are worthy and rewarding challenges for me to be involved in,” she added. “These are challenges that allow MSRA to support local organizations that need our help, including but not restricted to the open space, easement-protected Glenwood Park and Inova Loudoun Hospital.”

Race Day Schedule: 10 a.m. – Gates Open 11:30 a.m. – Stick Pony Races Noon—Opening Ceremony 1 p.m. – Post Time 2:30 p.m. – Hat and Tailgate Contests

Respect of the past, present and future is key. “There’s not enough thanks to give for the generous support of longtime sponsors, members and patrons who are our lifeblood,” she said. “New support always must be fostered to build for the future…Vendors, race feature supporters, last minute guests who come through that gate, all are key to a great race day.” The board began some time ago to plan for this year’s 100th running of the meet. “It’s exciting and an honor to be part of such an occasion,” she said, “but we had to ask ourselves, what will it take to keep our race day alive and vibrant for the next hundred years?” A main goal for Mrs. Woolcott is to keep all members, including herself, on top of the varied efforts. Those intimately involved with the event have launched an endowment campaign to raise enough money to yield adequate funds to support the purse structure for the next hundred years. With that in mind, she also helps bring suitable ideas and tasks through to effective conclusions.

6 p.m. – Gates Close

Lauren Woolcott is the chairman of the board of the Middleburg Spring Races Association.

At their Woodslane Farm near The Plains, the Woolcotts bred Tonalist, who won $ 3,647,000 in 16 starts. They also have campaigned their homebred, Sadler’s Joy, now at $2,515,560 in 28 starts, finishing in the money for 19 of them, most at the Graded Stakes level.

Everyone works on fundraising, and she said: “Where I can be a positive presence, I extend myself.”

They also relish having horses in the Middleburg Spring Races.

Photo by Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo

And her goals this year? “I want the hard work toward the 100th to pay off with a spectacularly enjoyable and beautiful gala with the National Sporting Library and Museum and the races on Friday, May 29,” she said. “I want perfect weather and a huge and exciting day of steeplechase. Well-positioned so far, I hope to bring enough to the bottom line that we can contribute meaningfully to local organizations, along with Glenwood Park and Inova Loudoun Hospital. Then, it’s on to 2021.”

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

“Our thrill was in 2017 when Wild Dynaformer won the Paul R. Fout Maiden Hurdle and Other Cheek finished third in the same race,” she said. “Last year we ran Overwhelming in the exciting Alfred Hunt Steeplechase race. He finished fourth over the mix of jumps, twists and turns.” Mrs. Woolcott can’t wait to see the entries and said she wishes them all sound finishes. And, what does she like the most about all of this? “Race Day.”

A Couple of True Gems at Warrenton Jewelers

Pentagon City. Other days, she headed to stores in Winchester, Leesburg, and ewelry is the most transformative Warrenton. She also handled vendor thing you can wear,” witty relations, customer service, and 96-year-old accidental fashion accounting. icon Iris Apfel once observed. While raising a family, they worked Erin Driver agrees. diligently to establish their business as She and her husband Jim Driver, owners the area’s top jewelry repair service. of Warrenton Jewelers and Gifts, opened Once the children were older, they in 2008, have made jewelry their business took another chance, opening their for over 45 years. Warrenton store in 2008, when their Jim is a master goldsmith whose great youngest child was in high school. grandfather and three uncles owned Photo © by Leonard Shapiro The business has thrived. jewelry stores in Nebraska and has been They offer fine high-end jewelry and Erin and Jim Driver at it since 1974. His father was a master some old estate pieces, Erin describes watchmaker and the manager of a jewelry store in their merchandise as “fashion jewelry,” varying in price Vienna Virginia for over 40 years. from moderate to a more expensive line, like Brighton. After learning his trade at B and C Jewelers in “Women aren’t wearing high-end gold jewelry the Alexandria, Jim went to work for Fairfax Jewelers, and way they used to,” she said. “Now they like buying later for Bailey, Banks and Biddle. After being laid off jewelry for themselves, following the current fashion by that national retail jeweler, he and Erin seized the trends, and moving onto a new line when it’s available.” day, opening Driver’s Jewelry Repair in 1984. The business has changed dramatically over the “It was sink or swim” Erin said. last decade, with mixed metal jewelry now extremely Now married for 39 years, they worked at servicing popular. They’ve also expanded into fine gifts, over 20 of the top jewelry stores in the Washington including handbags, fashion scarves, and novelty items metropolitan area. While Jim provided expert like bath towels, rubber garden boots, and wine glasses. craftsmanship, Erin, with her own retail management They strive to offer something for everyone, the and customer service background, handled deliveries. better to have a “one-stop” gift shop. Twice a week, with three small children in tow, she They also offer tuxedo rentals, so clients can travelled from Potomac Mills Mall to Ballston, to purchase an engagement ring, rent wedding tuxes,

“J

By Jodi Nash

pick out wedding bands, celebrate a wedding anniversary, buy a baby or christening gift, or pick out a birthday gift for their spouse, all in one convenient location. Jim, meanwhile, is entrenched in his own shop in back of the store, with his opti-vision headband magnifiers on, meticulously working on refurbishing grandma’s diamond or some other family heirloom piece. He can re-tip prongs on a beloved engagement ring, or perhaps reset a priceless gem into a modern setting. Typically, the repair service brings in about 40 percent of the store’s revenue, though it can vary depending on the retail season. “Christmas and Mother’s Day are busy times,” said Erin, who’d like to see more year-round shoppers. As for working together with Jim all these years, Erin can’t imagine anything else. One of eleven kids herself, keeping family close feels exactly right. Though their children have not followed the couple’s career path, their work ethic and pride in their product set a valued example. That, too, is part of their legacy. As for legendary Iris Apfel: “Transformation, punch, individuality: one or all of the above are why you should wear jewelry.” Warrenton Jewelers is located in the Northrock Shopping Center in Warrenton at 34 Fletcher Drive. Go to warrentonjewelers.com or 540-341-8820.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Two Brave Men Honored as Civil Rights Stalwarts

By Emma Boyce

ames Smith still recalls the afternoon, nearly sixty years ago, when he walked into Bradfield’s drug store on West Washington Street.

He was just a young man then. Inside the store, he moved to find an attendant, stepping briefly on a small, black square painted on the floor. A woman stopped him and pointed to the ground: African-Americans weren’t permitted beyond the square. “The woman said to me, you have to stand in this black square,” said Smith, now retired and in his 80s. “I told her no, I’m not standing on this square. I’m out of here and I left and I never went back.” Too many of these shameful stories marked the struggle for equal rights. Like many of his contemporaries, Smith knows them all too well. In 1961, not long after that incident, Lena Washington and William Jackson, head of the Loudoun chapter of the NAACP, asked Smith and three other young African-Americans, including Roger Dodson, Clarence Grayson, and Smith’s longtime neighbor, Reverend William Swann, to stage a sit-in at the lunch counters of three establishments in Middleburg. Several others had already refused, but Dodson, Grayson, Smith and Swann agreed. Their decision was instrumental in desegregating Middleburg. “I knew it was going to be risky because it was scary times back then,” said Smith. “But these things had to happen. Somebody had to do it and we went on and did it.” Each establishment, including Halle Flournoy’s Middleburg Pharmacy on Madison St., had refused to take their orders. As instructed by Jackson, the group left peacefully. A few weeks later, Jackson contacted the men for a second sit-in. President John F. Kennedy, then renting a country house, Glen-Ora, just outside Middleburg, was coming to town. This time, they would stay until they were served or cuffed. “We were willing to get arrested and do what we had to do,” Smith said. “We had to take a chance at it.” The NAACP and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) had planned to send busloads of civil rights activists to Middleburg. According to local historian Eugene Scheel, Father Albert Pereira, the celebrant at the Middleburg Community Center where the Kennedys attended Catholic mass, met with town officials and restaurant owners in hopes of de-fusing the situation.

Photo by Emma Boyce

James Smith

Photo by Emma Boyce

The Sona Bank, next to the Safeway, was once Bradfield’s drug store on West Washington Street.

This building on South Madison Street was once the Middleburg Pharmacy.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

The combination of the activists and the embarrassment of a pro-civil rights president coming to a segregated town forced the business owners to rethink their positions. That day in 1961, Smith, Swann, Dodson, and Grayson drank Cokes at the counter of Middleburg Pharmacy for the first time. Other establishments capitulated and Middleburg became desegregated. “I wasn’t nervous, I was glad to do it,” said Rev. Swann, who for the last 37 years has served as pastor of the First Ashville Baptist Church in Marshall. “We realize now how much of an accomplishment it was.” Afterwards, both Smith and Swann said they could feel a change in atmosphere. “We’ve come a long ways and we have a long ways to go,” said Smith, who still remembers the dirty looks they received all those years ago. “You never know how it is until you feel it yourself. It hurt deeply.” Father Pereira and William Jackson have long been credited with helping desegregate Middleburg. Smith, Dodson, Grayson and Rev. Swann have remained mostly anonymous in history. Now, nearly 60 years later, Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton recently presented Smith and Rev. Swann official town proclamations, recognizing their brave efforts. Littleton said he grew up often visiting Smith’s house as a child, but had no idea both men had been at Flournoy’s that afternoon. “I can’t see why so many people have so much hatred in their hearts,” Smith said. “God made us all so that nobody is alike. Why the hatred against each other? God didn’t intend for that. So, we’re trying to work through it. It’s getting better, but we have a little ways to go yet.”

“We were willing to get arrested and do what we had to do,” Smith said. “We had to take a chance at it.”

Mayor Bridge Littleton with Rev. William Swann

A Relic of Past All Bottled Up

ometimes ideas, thoughts, names and titles just float in the air…like the name Jennifer did at one time or the current buzz phrase of “the situation is fluid.” In this case, it may have been fluid inside a bottle in the form of medicine, but it was also all about the Middleburg Pharmacy. When Suzanne Obetz of the Middleburg Museum showed me the photo of this bottle, I called the editor of Country ZEST telling him I had a good little story. His reply? “We already have a story in the works about the Middleburg Pharmacy.” That’s a fluid situation. So here’s the story on the medicine bottle. Not long ago, Ms. Obetz received a package with a note. “In the 1980s,” it read, “I lived on Route 831, Yellow Schoolhouse Road in Round Hill, VA. One day while I was exploring the ‘way back’ part of the basement, deep into the crawl space with dirt floor of our beautiful home, I discovered this Middleburg Pharmacy medicine bottle. It was sitting on a crossbeam in our old house; who knows why. I’ve carried it with me for years and now wonder if it could return home and become part of the Middleburg Museum. “I hope that you will enjoy it. If you don’t want it, will you please return it? Thank you.” The bottle has found its ‘forever home.’ Thank you very much. — Vicky Moon

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Perspectives on Childhood, Education and Parenting Education Begins at Home

By Tom Northrup

“…Parents are a child’s most important teacher and home is the most important classroom……” – The Urban Child Institute

lways a humbling reminder. And research has concluded for many years that between birth and the age of eighteen, children spend only 10-15 percent of Tom Northrup their lives in formal schooling. Families are experiencing that fully right now. Without question, the recent school closings throughout our country have been deeply unsettling, and have led to significant hardship for many. At the same time, with work, we can see this time as an opportunity for parents and children not only to strengthen their bonds, but potentially to enhance the habits which promote lifelong learning. The ideas and recommendations offered below come with humility and appreciation for the commitment which they require to implement. Dr. Robert Evans in his book, Family Matters, reminds us that the three features of strong families are in place when the parents give their children sufficient and appropriate amounts of 1) nurture, 2) structure, and 3) latitude. This pause in our lives is an especially appropriate time for parents to examine, modify, clarify and discuss the principles which guide the family’s “structure.” If children participate in this discussion (the

degree to which is age-appropriate), they are more likely to embrace their responsibility to its effective functioning. The review should include addressing routines such as bed times, meal times, chores, guidelines for the use of electronic devices, and the schedule/expectation for schooling at home. What, then, should be the priorities for the essential three hours or so that should be dedicated to “schooling” at home? My recommendations would be: • Reading on a subject of the child’s interest (minimum one hour). • Writing a letter to a friend, a relative, someone the child admires. • Pursuing an artistic interest—drawing, singing, playing an instrument. • Taking a walk or run (minimum 30 minutes). All of the above are child-centric. Children nine and older should be responsible for making their schedule for the time for each activity, share it with their parents, and adhere to it (always the hardest part). What about the remainder of waking hours? This is time for children to complete on-line assignments

from school, to stay in touch with their friends, to care for pets, to do their chores, to pursue other interests. A regular family dinner is an important time to discuss progress, as well as feelings and thoughts about the day. Daniel Pink, in his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, explains that the secret to high performance and satisfaction is to respect and cultivate the deeply human need for each person’s autonomy—“the desire to direct (our) own lives and to learn (about) and create new things.” It’s not surprising that many companies (and some schools) are following the example of two of America’s most innovative and successful companies (3M and Google). Both encourage employees to spend 15-20 percent of their work week on projects/ ideas which particularly interest them. An important lesson I’ve learned in five decades of working in schools is that if teachers and parents establish and communicate to children their expectations (structure) and boundaries (latitude), those children in their care appreciate and respond to the trust (nurture) and yes, love, of the adults in their lives. They’re not only more likely to progress academically, but they’ll be better prepared for the challenges of adulthood. Tom Northrup, a long-time educator, is Head of School Emeritus at The Hill School in Middleburg.

The Shaggy Ram & Little Lambkins. The Shaggy Ram, now in its 31st year, has just adopted the Little Lambkins. So along with our lovely English & French antiques plus all accessories for your home, the Lambkins specializes in quality classic attire for infants & children. It’s our new look & folks are loving it! Come see us soon! New items arrive daily.

Joanne & Sandy 3 E Washington St. Middleburg. VA 20118 540.687.3546

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Snider

Healthy Water Means A Healthy Home. Get The Quality Water Your Family Deserves. Quality water is essential to your home. • Hardness minerals build up on appliances reducing efficiencies and cause soap scum. • Water may have iron or other contaminants that stain your fixtures. • Our WaterCare™ products feature exclusive Water Efficient Technology to perform maximum treatment while saving you money. • NEW Wripli® WiFi Technology allows you to: - Track water usage and savings. - Receive notifications for low salt - Turn on vacation mode from anywhere We offer top of the line water treatment equipment. Our WaterCare branded products offer the right solution for your home and family’s water quality needs. Protect your home and your family by calling us for your FREE in-home water test.

Tap into a healthier life. 540-687-5232

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www.jrsnider.com • www.facebook.com/jrsniderltd Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Free is better.

Harrowing Animal Rescues Are Little Fork’s Specialty

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Our Free Checking delivers just what you need. You don’t have to pay monthly fees to get the features you want. Our Free Checking accounts come fully loaded with benefits designed to make it easier to take care of your money, like no minimums or gotchas. You’ll also enjoy the helpful personal service that sets our bank apart.

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This challenging rescue involved a horse named Phoenix. He had scrambled up the staircase in a barn to escape another horse, and was trapped in a hayloft. His rescue had a happy ending.

By Yvonne Herbst

hat do a camel, a guard donkey, an American Mammoth donkey, a horse in a hayloft and a cat stuck in a pipe all have in common?

They’ve all been rescued from falls, entrapments and other dangerous situations by the Little Fork Volunteer Technical Large Animal Rescue Team. Since its establishment in 2011 the Little Fork Volunteer Technical Large Animal Rescue Team (LFVTLAR) based in Rixeyville has responded to more than 200 emergency animal rescue calls throughout Virginia and saved anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 worth of livestock each year. One of the team’s most challenging rescues occurred when a horse named Phoenix scrambled up the staircase in a barn to escape another horse, and became trapped in a hayloft and unable to get back down. Working in tandem with Phoenix’s vet, the rescue team sedated Phoenix, then moved him onto a rescue glide and slid him down the hayloft steps and to safety. A two-ton chain hoist was attached to one of the main posts that supported the building and a secondary safety system was rigged using a rope and pulley system. Phoenix was estimated to weigh between 1,200 to 1,500 pounds. The rescue team rigged him to the board using webbing and the vet administered ketamine in a dosage that would be used for surgery. As Phoenix started down the stairs, the hobbled legs were drawn towards his body and there was just enough room for him to slide down on his side. Once Phoenix was safely outside, the rigging and equipment were removed and he tried to stand. He stumbled around and fell to the ground in respiratory arrest. The vet performed an emergency tracheotomy, Phoenix began to breathe again and was eventually moved back inside.

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This past November, a 3-year-old mini-donkey named Poncho led the team to the place where his best friend, a 1,200-pound 16-year-old paint mare named Cheyenne, had crashed through a sinkhole and become trapped in a ditch eight feet below the surface. The rescue team used a backhoe along with specialized equipment to lift the terrified mare out of the ditch and back to safety.

1 Green Middleburg 3/16/20 1:52 PM 20AUB20014_Free Checking Q2_Country Zest_Spring_Style_Ad_4.667x12.inddGo | Spring 2020

MIDDLEBURG COMMON GROUNDS

A team from Little Fork Volunteer Technical Large Animal Rescue gets this big guy out of a trouble spot. LFVTLAR’s 30 volunteers are trained, equipped and qualified to address emergency rescue incidents involving large animals such as: mired in mud, trapped on ice or other unstable ground, trapped in a pool , trapped under a collapsed structure, or victim of a collision with vehicle “Training is very important to us!” said LFVTLAR Chief Doug Monaco. “We have 30 volunteer technicians who have taken the time to undergo special training in order to better serve the needs of the community. All of our team members and officers are trained to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for technical large animal rescue operations.

A member of the team.

Breakfast & Lunch Served All Day

Coffee, Tea, Beer & Wine

114 W. Washington Street • Middleburg, VA • 540.687.7065

“We’re a 501c3 organization and we do not charge for our services. We rely entirely on donations to fund our operations”.

Every year the LVFTLAR hosts a Trail Ride to raise funds for needed training and equipment. This year’s Trail Ride will take place on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Three Oaks Farm in Rixeyville, Virginia. Registration deadline is April 2. For more information visit: https://littleforkvfrc.org/2020-trail-ride The LFVTLAR can be reached through your local fire and/or EMS 911 center and is dispatched through the Culpeper County 911 center. Should your local 911 center not have direct contact via radio, the team’s non-emergency phone number is (540) 727-7900. LFVTLAR will respond to any request for mutual assistance in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Their volunteers are minimally certified as either firefighters and/or EMT’s and most are cross trained. All team members are NIMS certified and have completed a minimum of 30 hours of TLAR training. All drivers are EVOC certified and Command Officers are certified at a minimum of Fire Officer Level I.The team utilizes a unified command structure and all volunteer team members are covered by a Worker’s Compensation policy.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Appleton Campbell provides essential services including plumbing, heating, cooling, air quality and electrical. Our priorities are to: Protect the comfort and sanitation of your home. Protect the health of customers. Protect the wellbeing of our employees. As a community there have been many challenges weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve faced together during the many years Appleton Campbell has been in business. This is another one, but it is one we will rise to. We are well-prepared to meet these challenges, and together we will be able to keep your home running while also putting health and safety at the forefront of everything we do. Appleton Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March special has been extended to the end of April - $29 inspection of any service we offer as well as further discounts on new heating/cooling systems. Please feel free to contact us at 540-347-0765 or send a text/email at appletoncampbell.com Sincerely, Mike Appleton, President

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Yoga Poses a Fabulous Way to Flexibility

By Leonard Shapiro

t’s a long way from the high-stakes, pressurecooking environment of the investment banking business to the calm and serenity of a yoga studio. Yet, Catherine Rochester has made that transition seemingly seamlessly, and along the way convinced her husband, David, to take the same journey. The Rochesters live in “old” Aldie, where Catherine, a highly-skilled and certified yoga instructor, first began offering classes. She has since founded “Catrocyoga,” and in addition to weekend sessions at the house, she also offers regular classes both beginner and intermediate at the Middleburg Community Center and recently added another venue, The Middleburg Barn just outside the village. And recently, during this time of the virus, she’s offering virtual classes via the free webinar service, Zoom along with some long hikes while keeping the distance. One of her most dedicated students also happens to be her husband, who participates in virtually every session she teaches. Though he was initially reluctant to take up yoga, Catherine said, “he became my first guinea pig, and then he really started liking it.” She and David are both now retired investment

bankers, and like his wife, David has become a true believer in the myriad benefits of yoga. “By making your body more flexible and stronger, it just makes you feel so much better,” he said. “I get up now in the morning without the aches and pains I used to have. I walk up steps easily now, and that was not always the case.” Catherine has been doing yoga for more than 20 years, and distinctly David and remembers the day she first started. Catherine “I was in Clearwater, Florida and Rochester saw people doing it on the beach,” she strike a said. “I walked up to them and just tree pose. joined the group. I guess I didn’t know what I was getting into. I took a couple of lessons with a private instructor and then I had a teacher here, Denise Moore in Leesburg. I took lessons once a week and practiced every day. When I do something, I usually go all in.” She’s also been all in on equestrian pursuits, including fox-chasing and three-day eventing, a major motivator in taking up yoga, as well. “I got into it to improve my riding with balance and flexibility,” she said. “It definitely makes a difference.” About five years ago, she decided to take an intense yoga certification program through the national Yoga Alliance. “I really didn’t have an interest in teaching, and it was grueling, more than I expected,” she said. “I did it every weekend for nine months, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 200 hours to get the certification.

There were 12 of us in the group, and now, only two of us are consistently teaching. And I’m the one who had no intention of teaching.” This past December, Catherine also completed an advanced certification program, another 300 hours of intense instruction that took two years to finish. “That makes you realize that the first 200 hours just scratched the surface,” she said. “And once you start teaching, you never stop learning.” She began at the house, with a single pupil, then as word of mouth spread and other friends wanted in, she began offering classes twice a week. “It just grew from there,” Catherine said. “Now I teach seven classes a week over five different days. I love it. It’s my passion. I’m 60, and feel like 35. It also keeps David healthy. When he first started, he could not touch his toes. Now he can do anything.” Catherine obviously can, too. Her favorite pose, she said, is a handstand with David serving as her spotter. The toughest is the lotus position with crossed legs, putting a serious strain on her hips. And one of her favorite students is an 85-yearold gentleman who began classes after an annual physical at age 60 revealed that his height had shrunk by a quarter of an inch. “His doctor told him that was normal as you age,” David said. “But it upset him. Someone told him that if he took up yoga, it might help his spine. He started taking yoga classes and the next year, when he took the physical, not only had he not lost anything, he had he regained that lost quarter of an inch. He can do all the poses. He’s 85 now and still in the class.”

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Voilà: La Fabuleuse Baguette Française Historic “Rock Hill Farm” ca. 1797 on 69 beautiful acres- once a plantation and dairy now home to thoroughbred horses and fox hunters. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register. Located in the Piedmont Fox Hounds territory. Thoroughly renovated in 2010. Special features include a first floor master suite with 12’ ceilings & heated floors + 4 additional BRs & 3 BAs; 5 fireplaces; historic bank barn; 8 stall barn + other barns and outbuildings; 3 acre pond and year-round creek. Permitted uses include B&B and agri- business. MLS # VALO399794 Western Loudoun County $2,850,000

Building Lots in Bluemont, Middleburg & Paris Bluemont- 5.68 acres w/ mountain views & 4 BR conventional perc. One block from asphalt road. MLS# VALO405380 $299,000 firm Middleburg- 1+ acre lot with well & sewer in place. Price includes house plans and building permit. Cleared & woods MLS # VALO402796 $139,000 Middleburg- near the equestrian training center, private lot with existing well. Sewer available cleared + woods MLS # VALO405472 $112,500 Paris– 5 acre wooded lot w/ winter mountain ridge views. Great commuter access and location near the AT & river MLS # VACL111218 $150,000 Office space for lease- 8272 E. Main St. Marshall, VA from $500 mo. includes utilities and Internet. MLS # VAFQ162788

By Daniela Anderson Country ZEST Food Editor

othing in the world beats the smell of bread baking in the oven. Everyone loves fresh, homemade bread, but many people are hesitant to try making it themselves. Not to fear.

The French baguette, a historically traditional bread, contains only four ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast. Depending on how you manipulate these four ingredients you can create infinite shapes, flavors and textures. The baguette is one of the most universally recognized traditional breads. It’s also one of the most intimidating loaves for the home baker. So, roll up your sleeves and tie on your apron. The baguette often is considered one of the iconic symbols of French culture. This loaf is a favorite thanks to its characteristic, crunchy crust, light, airy and chewy interior and distinctive, torpedo shape. These long loaves have evolved over time from wide (era of Louis XIV), thin (mid-18th century) and long (some stretched out to six feet in the mid-1800s). The introduction of Viennese steam-oven baking to Paris in 1839 and a special brand of Austrian compact yeast in 1867 both contributed greatly to the ongoing refinement and variations over the next century. The word baguette was not used to refer to a type of bread until 1920, when a set of laws enacted by the French Prefecture of the Seine outlined specific rules that had to be followed regarding ingredients, shape, length, weight, etc. This law still is in effect today. The distinctive shape of the baguette (which means wand, baton or stick in French) is partly the result of this law, which forbade workers to make bread or pastries between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. This made it impossible for bakers to create traditional, round loaves in time for breakfast. Switching to the slender shape of the baguette allowed them to prepare and bake bread much more quickly. By French law, the traditional baguette can be made only from four specific ingredients: wheat flour, water, yeast and common salt. A “regular” baguette uses baker’s yeast and is prepared and baked in the same day over several hours. “Artisan” style loaves usually begin with a Poolish (highly hydrated starter), which typically is made 6-12 hours before making the dough. The fermentation of the dough over a longer period of time increases the flavor complexity and other characteristics. This is achieved through cold retardation in the fridge for 12-18 hours after a series of folding motions alternating with periods of rest to develop the gluten and ferment the yeast for improved flavor. The shaping to achieve the classic, torpedo shape involves a series of lengthwise folds and sealed seam that tighten up the dough and create tension on the surface. After final shaping, the baguettes are placed for their final rise in a baker’s couche, a flour impregnated cloth made from unrefined linen. By creating folds and pockets in the fabric, the loaves have support to keep their shape and rise vertically instead of spreading out. Just before baking, the loaves are moved to a peel and scored with a tool called a lame (razor blade on a handle). Three to four slanted slashes about a quarter-inch deep that overlap by a third are made down the length of the baquette. This allows the “fabulous French baguette” to expand in the oven.

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Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Vineyard VIEW

Governor’s Cup Runneth Over at 868 Vineyard

By Peter Leonard-Morgan

o earn a medal at the annual Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition in Richmond is an achievement in itself. To be crowned as the overall winner is the ultimate accolade, and an acknowledgement that the victor’s wine is the best in the Commonwealth. 868 Estate Vineyards, located just west of Hillsboro in Loudoun County, accomplished this impressive feat in February, 2020 when it triumphed over 105 competitor vineyards, which entered no fewer than 530 wines, to become the 2020 Virginia Governor’s Cup outright winner. The winning 868 wine was its 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito, made from the American hybrid grape, Vidal Blanc, using the Italian appassimento method. This technique is one where the grapes are partially dried for a month in shallow baskets in order to produce a highly concentrated sugar content. The result is a rich, sweet and intense honey, pineapple and tropical fruit flavor, best served cold. The idea behind this particular varietal was the brainchild of winemaker, co- owner and company president Carl Di Manno who, together with fellow owners Peter Deliso and Wendy Charron, purchased the 120-acre property, which included renowned farm-to-fork restaurant, Grandale Farm, in 2011. Saving it from becoming what was destined to be just another housing subdivision, 868 Estate

Photo courtesy

The 868 Estate Vineyards won the prestigious Governor’s Cup. Vineyards was founded. Now, less than a decade later, the Governor’s Cup resides proudly in the 868 Estate Vineyards tasting room, where it will remain until next year’s winner is announced. Grandale Farm’s executive chef and co-founder, Author Clark, had been creating exquisite dishes for its discerning clientele since the restaurant opened in 2005 until late 2019, when he passed the baton to Chef Thomas Kozak. Today, Grandale offers all of 868’s wines to its diners, which include its Chardonel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canvas White, a blend of Chardonel and Vidal Blanc.

Initial grapevine planting took place in 2012, and resulted in 10 acres of vines now expanded to 22 acres during the intervening eight years. Visitors enjoy their wines either in the tasting room, conveniently located opposite the restaurant, or outside under or by the pavilion. Notably, all of the grapes which went into the winning wine came from the estate’s one third acre, dedicated Vidal Blanc vineyard block. In addition to the tasting room and restaurant, 868 takes art seriously, with local artists from Loudoun and Fairfax Counties in Virginia, Montgomery County in Maryland and Jefferson County in West Virginia exhibiting and offering their works for sale for three months at a time. Events at 868 include several weddings and corporate gatherings annually, plus festivities tailored specifically for ‘Elevation Club’ members, patrons who have committed to buying one case per year, picked up four times annually. In the words of Peter Deliso’s wife, Nancy, 868’s marketing director, “868 Estate Vineyards is an avid proponent of a culture of wine, food, art and nature, all of which flourish at the property.” These four values appear to resonate with a lot of folks, judging by the number of people coming and going during a recent visit. 868 Estate Vineyards and Grandale Farm restaurant are located at 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro, VA 20132. For more information, call 540-668-7008.

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Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Grace Church Concert Series POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE 04 | 26 | 2020 Washington Performing Arts Men & Women of the Gospel Choir United Voices of the Agape United Methodist Church of Purcellville

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Teaching Students HOW to Think

The Blue Door Opens Up to Fine Dining By Leslie VanSant

he village of Flint Hill, tucked into the hills on a slight curve of Zachary Taylor Highway, Virginia Route 522, has always been on the radar of foodies visiting Rappahannock County. Whether it’s the beauty of the land or the abundance of fine A room at the Blue Door Inn. ingredients, the region is home to a number of establishments graced with multiple stars or found on gourmet lists. Enter The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn in Flint Hill. The Blue Door is the newest establishment from Chef Andrea Pace and Front of House Reem Arbid. Partners in life and business, the couple is well known among the Northern Virginia/D.C. fine dining crowd for their Villa Mozart in Fairfax which closed at the end of 2017. “We sold the location because we wanted to refresh and downsize,” Arbid said in a recent interview. They drove through Flint Hill one day on a customer’s advice to check out another opportunity. The property, previously home to the Flint Hill Public House, was available and was much bigger than their previous location. With more than 200 seats between indoor and outdoor spaces for dining and events, the rooms of the inn, the garden and grounds, this was a far cry from downsizing. But the sweeping views and country charm spoke immediately to the couple, who purchased it and started making plans for their next venture. “We wanted to downsize, but when you see the right opportunity, you take it,” Arbid said. “So we have a bigger restaurant and an inn. We loved it from the first trip up the driveway.” A few months later, with some renovations and a couple of coats of paint, The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn opened at the start of summer, 2018. Now, almost two years on, the establishment is finding its stride, and its garden. Asked about the size of the garden, Arbid simply described it as “Big.” Started in a smaller way at first, it’s grown along with their knowledge of what to plant, and when and where to maximize yield. From vegetables to herbs and flowers, the garden provides fresh items found on the menu or decorating the tables from April through October. “I’m a city girl, so it’s a lot of work, but we enjoy it,” Arbid continued. At the same time, Chef Pace has been adding local farms to his list of providers. His menu remains inspired by his Northern Italian and her Lebanese roots, but with a Virginia approach to ingredients sourced locally when in season. Pace and Arbid are known and respected for their reputation resting on food, service and consistency, not an easy accomplishment in the restaurant industry. Business has been solid, with a number of “Villa Mozart fans” coming to visit. Many who come for Chef Pace’s hometown rye ravioli or his half-roasted chicken find themselves getting a room and exploring the neighborhood for the weekend. More important, the Blue Door Kitchen & Inn draws a base of support from local customers. “We were so warmly welcomed and embraced by our new community,” said Arbid.

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Regular customers come almost weekly for lunch or dinner. And sometimes, for the music on weekends. Arbid said the music “happens organically” and “on a whim” when they have performers they’d like to host. The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn is located at 675 Zachary Taylor Highway (Route 522) in Flint Hill, VA. Dinner is served Thursday through Sunday, lunch Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Their four stylish rooms, each with a view, are available seven nights a week. Contact Reem Arbid to discuss holding your event on their grounds at 540-6751700 or info@thebluedoorkithen.com.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

It’s Music For Everyone at Marshall Studio

By Sebastian Langenberg

here’s a new sign on Main Street in Marshall. Dolly Jones’ music studio has moved into town.

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“At three years old, I got my first instrument and that was it,” said Jones, who started playing on a xylophone and then, at age six, began playing the piano. She eventually began teaching others at her church, then went on to study music in college. Jones received a bachelors degree in music from Spring Arbor University in Michigan. She also received a certificate in stage management in collaboration with Center Stage Jackson and has completed post graduate courses in childhood psychology and development from Liberty University.

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Dolly Jones

After college, her best friend and roommate moved to Lynchburg and invited her to stay the summer. Jones ended up getting a job at a local arts center, and fell in love with Virginia. At the time, Jones joined the Air Force reserves, and was called up to active duty, serving at Andrews Air Force Base. That assignment took her away from music, but not for long. She got married, moved to Northern Virginia and had her first child. She and her husband then decided they wanted a country life for their family. Following the birth of their second child, Jones decided to start teaching again, at first out of her home. She also saw the demand for music lessons and soon began hiring other instructors. Jones opened her Marshall studio this past October with 15 students, but by the end of February, enrollment was up to 55. “My big thing about music, is to make it accessible to everyone,” Jones said, adding that she tries to keep tuition as low as possible. Her motto is “Music for the Love of It.” What instruments do they teach in the studio? “I can tell you what we don’t teach,” she said. “We don’t teach the accordion or the bagpipes, basically.” But her instructors can teach nearly every other instrument. The curriculum focuses on students’ personal goals and is both a structured, step-by-step learning path that includes both theory and technique. It’s combined with supplemental materials designed to help the student improve classical technique or translate classical application to their preferred style. The instructors are all classically trained with unique specialties, with many having studied at prestigious schools like Julliard, the Berkeley School of Music, and Shenandoah University. Jones’ goal is to have a performing arts center that also will include instruction in art and dance that is accessible to everyone. For more information, visit their website at https://www.dollyjonesstudio.com/ summer-at-the-studio.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Properties In Hunt Country

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Delaplane ~ Spectacular Views! Approximately 250 Acres in 2 parcels. The primary parcel of 142 acres features the 3 BR/3 BA stone home accessed from Moreland Road, 2 tenant homes and numerous supporting structures including a large 4 bay machine shed. The secondary parcel of 107 acres is on the opposite side of Moreland Road, and currently offers a 2 BR tenant home with potential to build an additional primary dwelling. The 2 parcels may be purchased in total or separately, neither of which may be further divided. $2,426,000

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Purcellville ~ Stone residence on 14+ acres on a scenic country lane. Approximately 12,000 sq.ft. boasting soaring ceilings, 5 fireplaces, 6 BR / 7 BA and a gourmet country kitchen. Luxurious Master Suite, elegant décor, superior quality. Separate In-Law suite with kitchen, bath, deck and private entrance. $1,445,000

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Marshall ~ Open floor plan - Beautifully remodeled in 2019 with new kitchen, granite counters and stainless appliances, 3 new baths, one of which is on the lower level, new flooring, new heating and cooling system. Lower level offers excellent potential for finishing with interior and exterior access. 3 car garage. The 5.34 Acres creates a serene park–like setting with soaring trees and gently rolling land. From the covered front porch one has the perfect place for watching wildlife. Covenants for Cliff’s Mill on Carters Run.Convenient to Warrenton. $515,000

Purcellville ~ Hard to find 15+ acre parcel ideally located between Routes 50 & 7 in Western Loudoun County. Open pasture land is surrounded by black board fencing and stacked stonewalls with mountain views. Multiple wells and a 4/5 BR drainfield has been located. Property is sited on the corner of Snickersville Turnpike and Black Oak Roads. Perfect for horses or other animals. $425,000

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is dee

IT’S WHY WE LOVE WHERE WE LIVE At Thomas & Talbot Real Estate we are a small, efficient and effective real estate firm with over 200 years of combined sales experience. Our continued success is in large part attributable to our full time sales staff of award winning, dedicated, competent agents. It always has been, and always will be, our philosophy to give the best service to our customers and we are convinced that a smaller company serves you better.

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An Unusual “Little Gem”: The Gardens at Oatlands

By Linda Roberts

atlands head gardener Mark Schroeter has been on intimate terms with the Leesburg estate’s 4.7 acres of gardens since he took over this role at the 400plus acre estate in 2011. A gardener for 25 years, Schroeter formerly worked with the U.S. Capitol gardens followed by serving as gardener for the Inn at Little Washington. A resident of Middleburg, Schroeter loves his work. “There are so many unique features here,” he said, describing the gardens as a “little gem in this area that has not been discovered by many.” Pointing to an English oak, a still fruit-bearing pear and many boxwood, among other plantings, Schroeter said they are likely some 200 years old dating back to the original ownership of George Carter. “Originally this was a kitchen garden and by the 1850s Carter’s wife developed the more formal gardens,” Schroeter said, adding that the gardens were overgrown and neglected when the Eustis family from Washington, D.C. bought the property in the early 1900s as a second home. Edith Eustis created what is seen today on a tour of the gardens. Among the unique features she installed are the teahouse, an Italian sundial, the reflecting pool and the popular dog statue that originated from her father’s D.C. estate. There are 110 small beds within the terraced and walled gardens adjacent to the house. The gardens face the south providing for a longer growing

Edith Eustis created what is seen today on a tour of the gardens. PHOTOS BY MISSY JANES season for the masses of perennials surrounding the hundreds of American boxwood. To appreciate the gardens, Schroeter recommends taking the tour and then “just walking around the estate” in different seasons of the year. “There is so much to see,” he adds, noting that a number of professional photographers purchase a pass and utilize Oatlands’ remarkable landscapes for its year-around beauty. On a chilly, late winter day, Caleb Schutz, CEO of Oatlands Historic House & Gardens, ushered

a visitor into a tropical paradise enclosed in the property’s greenhouse. It’s a circa-1810 structure believed to be the second oldest still standing greenhouse in the country. “Restaurants pay to have this effect,” Schutz said, pointing to an interior wall where original bricks show through a break in the plaster. With the greenhouse restoration now complete, the multi-level structure is available to the public for dinner and party rentals and currently hosts art lessons for all ages.

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Purchasing and consigning quality antique arms ofmedals, all types swords, knives, bayonets, uniforms, flags, belts, since 1957. Appraisers and other collectable militaria.We to the Smithsonian, thebuckles National Park Service and also thepurchase National Firearms Museum. sporting gun and military related books, gun related Recipient of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Citation for Public Service. tools, vintage ammunition, etc. If you have any antique or collectable you want Address: to Visit our shop!military or gun items thatMailing sell please contact us for more information our Box 7 109 E. Washington St (Rt. 50) Post on Office appraisal services, consignment rates or outright sale.VA 20118 Middleburg, VA 20117 Middleburg,

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Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Mark Schroeter is the head gardener at Oatlands

“There are so many unique features here,” Mark Schroeter said, describing the gardens as a “little gem in this area that has not been discovered by many.”

Meanwhile, geraniums and tropical plants bloom and an enormous jade plant flourishes in the warm and sunny environment. Schutz, a Leesburg resident who formerly worked in corporate philanthropy, took the helm at the estate six miles south of Leesburg in 2018. His past professional life brings a necessary skill set to the National Trust for Historic Preservation property. Oatlands, not unlike similar properties across the nation, faces challenges to stay operational. Schutz and his 16-member board of directors have forwardthinking plans to point the estate toward success, including adding more community members to serve on its board. “There are so many stories here, but no one knows them,” Schutz said. “It’s our job to fully utilize all of Oatlands’ features.” Education, preservation and the gardens and grounds are Oatlands’ primary areas of future development. Repairs to the main house are a priority this year, including funding a $600,000 project to replace the structure’s roof. Efforts are now underway on a descendants program for relatives of the many slaves who lived and worked at the estate under George Carter’s ownership. By 1860, records show that 133 slaves were maintaining the property, keeping the vast estate operational as a small village with its own mill to produce flour from its grain crops. Ongoing maintenance, including weeding by hand, of the large boxwood gardens adjacent to the house, is a high priority. Schutz said he looks to Schroeter, to lead this effort. Tours of this popular attraction with its ancient boxwoods, terraced gardens, reflecting pool and statuary, are planned when the estate opens to the public in April. Additionally, Oatlands has two dwellings on the grounds, a small inn and a stone cottage, available for those wishing to stay overnight and experience life on the estate. Said Schutz, “There is something for everyone here at Oatlands.”

A Look Back

n 1804 George Carter, a descendant of wealthy land baron Robert “King” Carter, turned his own substantial resources and his thousands of acres into the creation of the Oatlands plantation. It’s believed he designed the mansion himself, utilizing elements of Federal, Georgian and Greek Revival architecture style. Work continued on the three-story structure until the 1830s, with the enslaved population at Oatlands creating bricks for its construction from clay dug on the property. Following the Carter ownership, Oatlands fell on hard times and, at one time, was used as a boarding house and later as a school. In 1903, Edith and William Corcoran Eustis of Washington, D.C. purchased the estate as a second home. Eustis turned his attention to equestrian pursuits while his wife began a lengthy restoration and additions to the gardens. In 1969, descendants of the Eustis family donated Oatlands to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, ensuring its future preservation. It also is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a National Historic Landmark. For additional information on Oatlands, and to inquire about volunteer opportunities, visit oatlands.org.

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Ariel and Katy Banagen

PHOTOS BY CROWEL HADDEN

he Art of the Piedmont auction and reception once again produced an exquisite event at the Middleburg Community Center. The stellar list of local artists included: Kevin H. Adams. Misia Broadhead, Armand Cabrera, Leanne Fink, Margaret MacMahon Carroll, and Jessica Wilson to name just a few. It was all to benefit the Middleburg Montessori School 501(c)3, an AMI accredited Montessori School that serves children, birth through 15 years. Middleburg Montessori School helps children develop into capable individuals by focusing on their intellectual, behavioral, and emotional development while providing the highest quality teachers to facilitate this development. And maybe even a future artist.

View from Emerald Lane by Kevin Adams

Deborah Morrow, Margaret Carroll, Laura Hopkins and Debbie Cadenas

Louise Searle, Jill Garity and Kelly Ahern

Kim Walton

April 25th May 30th June 20th July 23 rd-August 29 th September 18 th - October 17 th

Foxfield Spring Races Middleburg Spring Races Virginia Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow Thoroughbred Racing at Colonial Downs Harness Racing at Shenandoah Downs

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Jo Motion: A Racing Pioneer

I Jump into Spring at the 100th Running of the

MIDDLEBURG SPRING RACES NEW DATE:

MAY 30, 2020 Glenwood Park Racecourse Middleburg, VA Post Time 1:00pm

Photo courtesy of Middleburg Photo

Get your tickets today! MiddleburgSpringRaces.com 540-687-6545 34

By Maggie Kimmitt

n the living room of Jo Motion’s Middleburg home, there’s a striking oil painting of a young woman with a lovely bay mare. It was Jo, the long-time owner of the Middleburg Tack Exchange. On April 7, 1951, 19-year-old Josephine Wells led Nickel Coin, the mare in the painting, into the paddock at Aintree for the 105th running of England’s famed Grand National steeplechase. Jo Motion At odds of 40-1 in a field of 36, Nickel Coin, one of only three horses to complete the course, won in front of 250,000 race-goers. Sixty-nine years later, she remains the last mare to win the Grand National. “The painting was given to me by the owner,” Jo said. “Jeffrey Royle was basically a farmer near where we were in Surrey, England. She was a very clever jumper. She’d been show jumping at one time before she went racing. And I took her out hunting a week after she won the Grand National.” “I was riding out for Jack O’Donoghue in the summers, so I started working for him when I left school. For nothing, really…I mean a pittance. But it was what I wanted to do. And that’s why I came to this country originally because my family were complaining that I ‘had straw in my hair.” She first went to Canada and was working for Canada Life Assurance. Her only American contact was through “an uncle who was very high up at Barclay’s Bank.” He was acquainted with an American owner who had steeplechase horses with Frank and Clara Adams in Southern Pines, N.C. At that time, Frank Adams was the leading trainer of jumpers and his son, Frank David “Dooley” Adams, was carving out his own Hall of Fame career as a steeplechase jockey. “Dooley was probably one of the most stylish jump jockeys this country has ever had,” Jo said. “He was a very good horseman before he was ever a jockey and was champion rider for years. They offered me a job, so I was only in Toronto for six months.” “I used to come to Middleburg on the way up north from Southern Pines,” she said. “On the way up, I would bring a string to Middleburg and be at what is now Hickory Tree Farm. It was Burrland Farm, owned by Mrs. Sears in those days. There was a little half-mile track there. We’d get to Belmont around Easter.” Jo Wells was one of only four women working on the New York backstretch. Women didn’t work in the barns at all, and most men felt they had no business on the back of a horse. During her three years with the Adams’ operation, she spent summers in Saratoga during what she refers to as “gentle, kinder times. And that extended into racing.” “I’ll tell you who was so nice to us girls—Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons. Of course I never called him Sunny Jim, it was Mr. Fitzsimmons. His barn at Saratoga was right on the corner at Oklahoma. He sat in his chair there, and I very clearly remember hanging over the rail with him watching Nashua work. He was the picture of what I thought a horse should look like. And Jaipur – I saw him too. But Nashua was the big thing then, such a good-looking horse. “I gave (legendary steeplechase jockey) Joe Aitcheson a leg-up on the first ride he ever had. He got out of the Navy and came to work for the Adams’. All he wanted to do was ride jump races.” In 1956, Jo returned to England and married Michael Motion, who she’d known since childhood. Michael was a prominent international bloodstock agent for Newmarket-based Tattersalls, founded in 1766. They settled in Bury St. Edmunds and ran a small stud and dairy farm called Herringswell Manor. That’s where they raised their four children – Claire, Pippa, Graham and Andrew. When Tattersalls appointed Michael its American representative in 1980, the family relocated to upstate New York. In 1984 Michael opted for a full-time position at Tattersalls’ American base in Lexington, Kentucky. Two years later, he had an offer from Audley Farm in Berryville, and the family settled in Rectortown in 1986. Twenty-eight years ago, Jo spotted a need for a local tack consignment shop and started Middleburg Tack Exchange. Graham, now one of the country’s leading trainers, describes his mother as a pioneer. “She was driving a motorcycle to work at a racing stable in the UK at a time when women, motorcycles and racehorses probably didn’t usually come up in the same sentence,” he said. “She was one of the first women on the backstretch in the U.S. when steeplechasing was a daily occurrence. Now, I couldn’t imagine running my operation without some incredibly talented and dedicated ladies. Thanks Mum.”

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2020 A Celebration Of Wyeths Photos by Peter Fountain Photography

GATES OPEN 10AM FIRST RACE 1:00PM RAIN OR SHINE

The National Sporting Library & Museum had a reception for the exhibition of artwork by artist Jamie Wyeth to celebrate the life of his late wife Phyllis Mills Wyeth. Phyllis Mills Wyeth: A Celebration, is on view until June 28.

Executive Director Elizabeth von Hassell and artist Jamie Wyeth in front of And Then Into The Deep Gorge, 1975, The Phyllis and Jamie Wyeth Collection

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NSLM Board Member Jacqueline L. Ohrstrom

Missy Janes and Jamie Wyeth

Pari-Mutuel Betting! Don’t forget your cash, it’s the only way to play! Herbert Kohler, Jr. a longtime Wyeth devotee

NSLM Board Member Mimi Abel Smith, Jamie Wyeth and NSLM Vice-chairman Jacqueline B. Mars

Tickets can be purchased online or at Harris Teeter.

QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL 540.347.2612 OR VAGOLDCUP.COM Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

The Buzz on Busy Bees A

fter a chance meeting in a local English pub, Roger Morgan-Grenville and his friend Duncan decide to take up beekeeping.

“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and a bee,

Their enthusiasm matched only by their ignorance, they throw themselves into an arcane world of unexpected challenges, all of which Morgan-Grenville chronicles in delightful detail in his new book, “Liquid Gold: Bees and the Pursuit of Midlife Honey.”

And revery.

The revery alone will do, If bees are few”

Coping with many setbacks along the way, they manage to create a colony of beehives, finishing two years later with more honey than anyone knows what to do with. By standing back from their normal lives and working with the cycle of the seasons, they emerge with a new-found understanding of nature and a respect for the honeybee and the threats it faces.

— Emily Dickinson, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

“One can no more approach people without love than one can approach bees without care. Such is the quality of bees.”

Wryly humorous and surprisingly moving, Liquid Gold is the story of a friendship between two unlikely men at very different stages of their lives. It is also an uplifting account of the author’s own midlife journey: coming to terms with an empty nest, getting older, looking for new beginnings. In his review of the book, Thor Hanson, the author of “Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees", said of Morgan-Greenville’s work, “Beekeeping builds from lark to revelation in this carefully observed story of midlife friendship. Filled with humor and surprising insight, Liquid Gold is as richly rewarding as its namesake and is highly recommended.”

— Leo Tolstoy

Liquid Gold: Bees and the Pursuit of Midlife Honey

Trinity Episcopal Church

Upperville, Virginia

2020 HUNT COUNTRY STABLE TOUR CANCELLED We look forward to welcoming you next year, May 29 & 30, 2021

The funds raised through the Stable Tour support the community outreach programs of the Church. The need for outreach is greater than ever. We welcome your financial support to help those in need during these troubling times.

Send your check to Trinity Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 127, Upperville, Virginia 20185, payable to “Trinity Church Outreach,” or give online at www.trinityupperville.org/give Wishing you the peace of God which passeth all understanding

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Photo/artwork by Leonard Shapiro

The Ashby Gap Turnpike Takes A Toll

By Childs Burden

oday we know the Ashby Gap Turnpike as Route 50 or The John Mosby Highway. Most who travel along this old roadbed probably do not reflect long upon its proud history. We should. Middleburg’s main street is The Ashby Gap Turnpike. Middleburg’s descriptive name comes from the fact that the town lies half-way between the important port city of Alexandria and Winchester. It also lies half-way between the county seats of Loudoun and Fauquier and also happens to be mid-way between the Bull Run and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Concerns over the dreadful condition of the road system came to a head during the latter part of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. It was a time when many of the Tidewater Virginians were moving up to establish farms in our area. It also was the time when a migration of the Scott, Irish and German people were moving down into the Shenandoah Valley to settle that fertile region, only recently made safe after several Indian treaties had been consummated.

Something had to be done but where was the money coming from?

Bluemont) where a second Shenandoah ferry crossing could be made.

The answer came in the form of private turnpike companies that were sanctioned by the Commonwealth General Assembly toward the end of the 1700s.

Two of the old toll houses can still be seen today at Aldie and Middleburg—the former just east of the Snickersville turn and the latter where the Upper Crust Bakery stands today. The little toll houses and the swivel gates that could be raised and lowered to halt and pass the traffic were dotted along the Ashby Gap Turnpike at Aldie, Middleburg, Goose Creek Bridge, Upperville and Paris.

The first effort was the formation of The Little River Turnpike Company formed in 1802. The company’s mission was to build an improved road with proper drainage and reinforced roadbed from Alexandria to the Little River at Aldie—a distance of 34 miles. This improved road would ensure faster and more efficient transportation of both people and agricultural goods. Farmers needed to get their commodities to markets and at the port of Alexandria, they could get the best prices. This private company sold stock to raise enough capital that would enable construction and management of the road. However, to keep the turnpike in good condition, a string of toll houses were built along the way every five to ten miles. In theory, money not needed to maintain the road would be returned to the investors as dividends.

The old road systems coming out of the ports of Alexandria and Georgetown and heading west over the Blue Ridge were really old Indian trails that the Native Americans had been using for thousands of years for the purposes of trading and hunting.

The Little River Turnpike was completed by 1812, but two years earlier the General Assembly sanctioned The Ashby Gap Turnpike Company to continue the road improvement project from Aldie to the Shenandoah River where there was a ferry crossing. That effort was essentially complete by 1816.

The old trails, turned into crude roads, were not going to be sufficient to handle the increasing traffic of new arrivals with their heavy wagon loads.

The Snickersville Turnpike Company was also sanctioned at that time to take people and goods northwest from Aldie to Snickersville (now

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

The toll house at Goose Creek Bridge posted rates of three cents for a horse, six cents for a riding cart, twelve cents for a carriage and from three to seven cents for a wagon depending upon the width of its wheels. Drovers paid six cents for a score of hogs or sheep and twelve cents for a score of cattle. While driving along the Ashby Gap Turnpike today, take a moment and stop by the Goose Creek Bridge now owned by Nova Parks. It’s a battlefield where federal cavalry and infantry made a contested crossing on June 21, 1863. Tremendous credit must be given to the women of the Fauquier Loudoun Garden Club who preserved and protected the historic bridge for over 40 years. The garden club recently sold the site to The Civil War Trust, which transferred it to Nova Parks, with many other wonderful historic properties in our area. Walk along the bridge that carried motorized traffic until 1957, and consider the effort to build that beautiful structure—the last four-arched stone bridge left in Virginia. And check your pocket for loose change; the toll-keeper reportedly still haunts the place.

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES Community Music School of the Piedmont

Candlelight Concert At Barton Oaks

Photos by Crowell Hadden The Community Music School of the Piedmont Candlelight Concert 2020 at Claude Schoch’s Barton Oaks featured Ari Isaacman-Beck, violin, and Gwen Krosnick, cello. They performed a stirring concert featuring works by Bach and Ravel and 19th century works by two Belgian composers, Servais and Leonard. Executive Director Martha Cotter was, of course, thrilled. “This concert and the support of our patrons brings world-class music to the local community,” she said.

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WE'RE TREADING WATER Gwen Krosnick and Ari Isaacman-Beck

We are planning a series of summer events at the Pink Box Visitors center, the future site of the Middleburg Museum. Every 2nd Saturday of the month during the summer.

MAY 9TH | JUNE 13TH | JULY 11TH | AUGUST 8TH Andrea Ross and Claude Schoch

Ralph and Eleanor Manaker

We will have live history demonstrations such as weaving, candle making and a blacksmith. There will also be live music and local craft vendors. This is an opportunity for the whole community to come together to promote their businesses. Until then, check out our website

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Ann MacLeod and Mary Ann Gibbons

12 North Madison Street, Middleburg | 703-853-2174 suzanne@themiddleburgmuseum.org

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

HAVING A BALL The Middleburg Hunt Ball at The Briar Patch Photos by Leonard Shapiro

Joint Masters Penny Denegre and Jeff Blue

Merrilyn Saint

Jim Nichols

Mackenzie Taylor and Sam Cockburn

Kevin Ramundo, Woody Offutt and Anne Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ignazio

Russ Malijeeb and Rob Spicer

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Senator Jill H. Vogel Legislative Update

irginia has been overwhelmed by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 virus and our office has attempted to respond quickly to anyone with questions or needs. Our Senate office will remain open to provide support to constituents. Our number one priority is to keep people well. We are also very sensitive to the impact that this is having on families, individuals, businesses, and our local governments. We continue to communicate with the Governor and other state and federal agencies to determine how best to provide support.

Most questions we receive are about public gatherings and how businesses must function. Governor Northam directed Virginians to avoid non-essential gatherings of more than 10 people. This restriction does not apply to normal operations of essential services such as transportation services, grocery stores, pharmacies, manufacturing, or medical facilities. Individuals with chronic health conditions and 65 and older remain advised to self-quarantine. Consult vdh.virginia.gov for information about the virus and updated numbers on the outbreak here. Also, please be aware of the following recent announcements: Schools – All schools are closed through the end of this school year. Business Closures – Businesses in the following categories are required to close: 1) recreation and entertainment businesses (theaters, museums, spas, arcades, hair salons), 2) non-essential retail stores (essential retail is broad and includes grocery, pharmacy, home improvement, pet, feed, office supply, auto parts, beer, wine and liquor stores which are unaffected), and 3) closure of all dining establishments. Department of Motor Vehicles - All of Virginia’s DMV offices are closed. Online services will remain available, and anyone needing to renew a license or vehicle registration may do it online. For those who cannot renew online, or who have a license or registration that expires before May 15th, the DMV will grant a 60-day extension. Virginia State Courts - From March 16th to April 6th, all district and circuit courts have stopped non-essential, non-emergency court proceedings unless there is a specific exemption. This includes a prohibition on new eviction cases for tenants who are unable to pay rent as a result of COVID-19. Utilities - The State Corporation Commission ordered utilities (natural gas, electric, and water companies) to suspend service disconnections for 60 days to provide immediate relief for customers who may be financially impacted by the virus. Prisons and Jails in Virginia - Visitation is currently cancelled at all facilities. Offsite video visitation is still available. A dedicated COVID-19 public information line with an updated, recorded message is operational. The phone number is (804) 887-8484. Employers affected by current changes – Virginia activated regional workforce teams to assist employers that slow or stop operations. Employers will not be financially penalized for an increase in workers requesting unemployment benefits. The Governor is authorizing rapid response funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for employers eligible to remain open during this emergency. Workers impacted by current changes - The Virginia Employment Commission will waive the one-week waiting period to ensure that workers receive benefits as soon as possible. Workers may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits if an employer needs to temporarily slow or cease operations due to COVID-19. If a

worker has been issued a notice to self-quarantine by a medical official and is not receiving paid medical leave from their employer, they may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. A worker may be eligible for unemployment benefits if they must stay home to care for an ill family member and are not receiving paid family medical leave. Affected workers receiving unemployment insurance will receive special consideration on deadlines, mandatory re-employment appointments, and work search requirements. 2020 Legislative Session – The legislative session ended two weeks ago. The House and Senate considered 3,910 bills and resolutions, with 2,218 passed and sent to the Governor for action. The bills make broad changes to energy, criminal law, transportation, public safety, education, healthcare, agriculture, and employment laws among others, with the most significant being the passage of the state’s two-year budget. We will return in April for the Veto Session and may reconvene for a special session to address the impacts of the COVID-19 virus. I am pleased that my bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, the majority passing 40-0. I appreciate those in our community who traveled to the Capitol and were so critical in their success. Bills include: SB 531 Workers’ comp coverage for certain cancers for firefighters and first responders; SB 540 Reporting unprofessional conduct of health professionals; SB 541 Revising Middleburg’s town charter; SB 556/557 Traffic calming on U.S. Route 17; SB 561 Workers’ comp for firefighter and law-enforcement officer PTSD; SB 633 Licensure of music therapists; SB 687 Cyclist highway safety; SB 689 Expanding ABC special event privileges for localities; SB 903 Hospital screening for substance use-related emergencies; SB 904 Higher ed stakeholder group to improve dyslexia, literacy training; SB 913 Opioids disposal for home hospice; SB 1039 Tax rebate for solar energy and recycling equipment; and SB 1040 City of Winchester school board compensation authority. I also introduced measures that passed in the budget, including funding for Winchester Public Schools Innovation Center; Laurel Center Women’s Shelter and intervention for sexual/ domestic violence; Winchester Armory/ Shenandoah University/ Lord Fairfax Hub for Technology and Entrepreneurship; and raises for teachers among others. Overall the budget includes a balance of Rainy Day Fund and cash reserves of $2.1 billion. Other highlights are increased funding for personal care workers, nursing homes and developmental disability waivers - increasing 1,385 waiver slots over 2 years; increased funds for Water Quality Improvement Fund and Soil and Water Conservation Districts; $1 billion for highway construction, transit and passenger rail; 4% teachers raise over 2 years; 3% state employee bonus, 3% salary increase in the second year; state supported local employees 2% bonus first year, 3% raise in second year; state police 2% raise first year, 3% raise in second year; and overall the budget reduces the amount of state-authorized debt by $528 million. The budget was built on careful forecasting and substantial cash reserves, all of which must now be revisited given the economic impact of the coronavirus that hit just as we concluded the budget. Much of what we did may have to be revised. These are challenging times for all Virginians. Our office is available to help. If you need assistance, please email jillvogel@senate27.com.

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By Emma Boyce

hen Chuck and Steve Kuhn took on the historic Middleburg Training Center as a conservation easement project in 2017, they had no idea they would be drawn into a new business venture.

A far cry from its glory days housing Paul Mellon’s legendary racing stable, the father and son team acquired 150 acres of deteriorating property. All 11 barns were in disrepair. Roofs were leaking. The training track was washed out. Mellon’s old veterinary building housed squatters. “It had gotten so rough that a couple of ladies said they were nervous riding through the training center on horses alone,” said Chuck Kuhn, who finally had to raze the old veterinary building after padlocking failed as a deterrent to trespassers. “Going from what the Mellons had built to this was quite the contrast.” In 1975, after Paul Mellon sold the property to a group of local trainers and owners, the training center continued to turn out solid racing contenders, including Spectacular Bid, the 1979 Preakness and Kentucky Derby winner. Later sportsman Randy Rouse had the property for almost a decade before donating it to its last owner before Kuhn, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. As CEO of JK Moving Services, Kuhn didn’t know horses, but he did know conservation. When concerned Loudoun residents realized developers were scouting out the property, they called him. “We purchase a lot of properties in Loudoun and put them into conservation easement,” said Kuhn. “We are trying to strike a balance between development and growth and protecting the open space. Loudoun County seems to be getting out of balance. We want to create balance with our conservation easement work.”

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

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A new viewing stand overlooks the training track. Although initially hesitant about such a large undertaking, the trainers and horse owners at the training center eventually swayed him not only to buy the property, but to continue its long history as an equine facility. “Seeing how hard these trainers worked and how much sweat equity they put into their jobs and careers pulled us in,” said Kuhn. “From there we really felt bad about their working conditions. For instance, they were paying a lot of money for hay and the hay was getting ruined because the roof was leaking.” Renovations began with the track. They replaced the railing, graded and removed clay that had built up under the footing. They invested in a water truck. Just when they thought they were finished, a drain pipe collapsed, causing a pond to build up in the infield. Finally, after replacing the pipe, they moved onto the barns, still painted light blue from Mellon’s era.

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While the details are sure to evolve, at the moment, Kuhn plans on adding several more barns, 100x200 general purpose riding rings, around ten paddocks, and a small-scale therapy center with aqua treadmills for rehabbing horses. “It’s really rewarding seeing all the barns looking clean,” said Kuhn. “We’re getting a lot of interest in people boarding and training here. We have a nice group of trainers and owners now. It’s a great working environment. Just took a little TLC.”

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“It’s been a solid three years of construction,” said Kuhn. “We thought it would never end, but we’re finally rounding the corner.” Now At 130 horses, Kuhn hopes to fill all 220 stalls once renovations on the existing infrastructure are completed in April. He’s also eyeing two neighboring properties in hopes of expanding the training center to include other equine disciplines.

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Taking The Waters at Fauquier Springs By Leslie VanSant

hat started as a quest to mark a historic location with a road sign has turned into a family day to explore local history. Located on a bluff overlooking the Rappahannock River, the Fauquier Springs Club is well known by locals. It offers a challenging golf course and a gorgeous clubhouse, the site of choice for hosting weddings and other events for local residents and visitors alike. But, did you know that the “springs” referenced in the Club’s name have been drawing people to this spot for centuries? Now, the Fauquier Springs Club, in partnership with the African-American Historical Association of Fauquier County and the Fauquier Historical Society, has planned the first ever Fauquier Springs History Day.

Courtesy photo

Union soldiers at the Fauquier Springs.

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The Fauquier Springs site includes a white sulphur spring where people have been “taking the waters,” starting with Native Americans, up until the early days of the 20th century. The event had been scheduled May 31 but because of the corona virus situation, has been postponed until the fall. It will include a guided tour that brings the last 200 years of history back to life, with re-enactors and interpretation. It also will feature the unveiling of a Historic Virginia Highway Marker.

physical or emotional ills, from indigestion to depression or melancholy.

The Fauquier Springs site includes a white sulphur spring where people have been “taking the waters,” starting with Native Americans, up until the early days of the 20th century. Taking the waters—bathing or drinking—has also seen the development of spas and resorts around the globe. Names synonymous with “the cure” include Bath (England), Saratoga (New York) White Sulphur Springs (West Virginia), and Hot Springs (Virginia).

One night, after a round of golf between friends, the conversation turned to the history of the place.

The waters were thermal or sulphur springs which occurred naturally. Drinking or bathing in the waters was prescribed to cure for

At Fauquier Springs, the sulphur spring bubbles up from the ground. It was covered over in the late 1990s as a matter of safety. You can still smell the sulphur, however after a good rain, near the golf club’s driving range.

“There has always been a small display about the history,” said Bob Dyer, a club member. “Some of us just wanted to know more. What we discovered was amazing.” A small group including Dyer, Mark Smith, Marisa Pappas and Beth Herrmann began taking a deeper dive into the history. “We started in the Virginia Room at the Fauquier Public Library, there was so much to be found,” said Pappas. “Ledgers, advertisements, newspaper

articles, they all told the incredible story of the Fauquier White Sulphur Springs Resort which was more prestigious and popular than other similar places including the Homestead or the Greenbrier.” Photos of both Union and Confederate troops camping at the springs and taking the waters were discovered. Presidents, famous people, wealthy people, middle class, all enjoyed the “spa” at Fauquier Springs which was easy to reach via train to Warrenton and stage out the Springs Road. Visitors came for a week or stayed for the season and events were planned to keep them entertained. There were even accommodations for servants. “With so much history from Native Americans through the Civil War and into the early 20th century, we really wanted to share this with the community,” said Beth Herrmann who also lives in a cottage at the club. So the application for an official marker from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources was made, and approved.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

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Happy Trails Are Everywhere Around Orlean

By Carina Elgin

he Orlean Community Trail System (OCTS) is a network of 25 miles of trails, centered around the small, unincorporated town of Orlean in Western Fauquier County about 50 miles west of Washington, D.C. Donn Smith, a longtime Orlean resident who founded the organization in 2004, said, “it’s really more about the neighborhood and knowing your neighbors, than it is about the actual trails.” Still, the trails are important, and have helped bring together residents in this Orleans’ innovative trail system widespread area of field and forest. Founded includes good neighbors all in 1815, Orlean was a tiny dot on the map, a around, hiking, biking or riding. small trading center for area farmers. Today, the town is essentially comprised of five buildings, including the regionally wellknown Orlean Market, a charming blend of country store, restaurant and pub. When Smith moved out “to the country,” he said he had the idea that, “having trails would help bind the community together and make it a better place.” His vision has, indeed, helped neighbors build a true community of people who know each other, and support each other. Voluntarily linked by the participation of some 300 nearby landowners, the trails are open only to “members.” There’s no fee or formal application, only a requirement that members must live within ten miles of the small Orlean post office (the first post office in Fauquier County). Many members ride horses on the trails, but hikers, mountain bikers and offroad motorized vehicle users also are welcomed. Published OCTS trail etiquette respects the generosity of the consenting landowners, with the aim of providing a user-friendly trail option for neighbors, but not to provide trails for nonmembers. The interconnected trail system does get larger every year, as neighbors tell other neighbors about it. The Board of Directors of the OCTS is always happy to answer any questions a landowner might have, and hopes to cover more of the over 200,000 acres in that ten-mile radius from that little country post office. “Every property, no matter how big or how small, is important,” Smith said. “If landowners are putting up new fencing, we encourage them to set it back, to make room for trails, so that properties can still connect…The trails have led to a spinoff of activities, connecting so many people in different ways.” The OCTS Facebook page has some 800 followers. There’s now an Art Guild, crafts and game nights, weekly dinners, bonfire activities and the annual Earth Day Trash Pickup. There’s also a book club, a photo contest, a Fall Barn Dance and “Orlean Christmas.” Volunteers have created and care for a “pollinator meadow.” Want to try line dancing? Members can head over to the Orlean Volunteer Fire Department for that. The so-called “Chain Saw Posse” is also at the ready to help neighbors with downed trees and provide firewood. The annual “Snipe Hunt” is a particularly popular event, where new and long-time residents meet. There is truly “something for everyone,” with new ideas and new members spawning new activities. Kathy Gray, an interior designer and owner of Hunt Country Kitchen & Bath Studio in Marshall, moved to the Orleans area nine years ago. Her friends worried about how she would meet people “way out in the country.” “I moved here on a Tuesday and by Saturday was at my first Snipe Hunt,” she said, adding that she’s now co-chair of the 2020 Snipe Hunt, scheduled for May 30. “When you live out here,” she said, “you really don’t want to drive to Washington, or even to Warrenton, so we amuse ourselves!” And that they do. For more information, go to to their website: www.orleantrailsystem.org

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Helping Haitian Angels Making a Difference

By Carina Elgin

or years, Bill Harvey asked his wife, Debbie, to join him on his mission trips to Haiti. For years, she put him off. After all, she was busy caring for their three children, managing their home in Haymarket, and working as a realtor. Life was good, as they say. But when she finally relented and went along in 2008, her life and its purpose changed forever. On the second day of the trip to Cap-Haїtien, Haiti, a woman came up to the team and begged them to come see at a group of 35 sick and starving children living in an abandoned building. As Debbie said, “What I saw and experienced in that building forever changed my life.” A month later, Debbie started a non-profit she called “Helping Haitian Angels” (HHA) to aid those children and many more in its 12 years of operation. The organization is home to one of only 27 orphanages out of over 750 to fully pass a thorough investigation by the Lumos Foundation, in collaboration with the Haitian government. While working in Haiti has had a unique learning curve, the Harveys have made tremendous strides. The non-profit now owns and administers a 40acre “village” with 61 employees. There’s still an orphanage, providing complete care for 54 children with no family. It’s called Kay Anj d’Ayiti, “the Angel House” of Haiti in Dekle. The goal of the organization, however, is to close all orphanages by reunifying families. The children are all placed with them by Children’s Services of

Angel founder Debbie Harvey is feeling the love in Haiti. the Haitian government, and the Harvey’s mission includes the “Family Preservation Program” whenever possible. Family members are provided the support and education to keep family units together. To date, 16 children have been reunited with their families, under close and careful supervision. The village has an elementary school, Lekol Harvey, which opened in 2014. Some 130 students from Pre-K to Grade 6 (with 7th grade coming) are taught in their native Creole, and learn French and English starting in fourth grade. They also offer school to children with intellectual disabilities, some on the autism spectrum, an under-served population on the island nation. Fundraising has started for a high school. A vocational school is growing in “baby steps”, according to Debbie. There’s a program to learn sewing skills, where school uniforms are made, and computer training classes. The goal is to expand to meet more needs in the local population. “We thoughtfully and prayerfully listen to God,” Harvey said. “Working in Haiti can be very challenging,

but Haiti isn’t going anywhere and neither are we.” The grand opening of the Hope Church in the village is scheduled for late March, and Debbie is determined to stay on schedule, despite possible complications from the Corona Virus pandemic. The “big picture” of this successful faith-based organization is to raise the next generation of compassionate, fair, courageous, and educated Haitian leaders and parents. HHA’s mission, according to its website, is “to raise happy, successful members of their communities who will have the tools to positively impact future generations… HHA consistently strives to strengthen its understanding of the Haitian people and develop long-lasting relationships through mutual respect and effective communication.” Its founders, board members, supporters, staff, and children all hope donations will come in. The organization’s major fundraiser, “Raise the Roof,” to be held at the Regency at Dominion Valley in mid-March, had to be postponed. Additionally, volunteers are always needed, and there are four mission trips each Debbie asks for letters and photos to the children, with gifts from sponsors limited to Christmas and birthdays. She hand delivers the letters and encourages sponsors to come meet “their” child. Eighty per cent of the students have been able to meet their sponsors in person. The Harveys and HHA have made a remarkable impact on the lives of many. Just looking at the photos of the enthusiastic faces awaiting sponsorship will no doubt encourage you to take action, too.

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Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

diagnostics and treatments help equine athletes achieve peak performance and competitive success.

Virginia Tech MARION DUPONT SCOTT

EQUINE MEDICAL CENTER Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine March 20, 2020

A premier, full-service equine health facility offering

Dear EMC clients and referring veterinarians,

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specialty care, diagnostics, and 24-hour emergency services

Due to concerns about for the novel coronavirus related disease (COVID-19), Virginia Tech’s horses of alland ages and breeds. Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC) has implemented a number of precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of EMC employees and clients. These decisions are in line with public health guidelines regarding COVID-19 were made in concert with the Follow us on Facebook and visitand our website Virginia-Maryland College of latest Veterinary Medicine and Virginia Tech. to learn about the advances in equine medicine and health. Earlier this week, the EMC implemented a patient drop-off policy for all appointments, including emergencies, until further notice. EMC personnel will meet clients in the trailer parking lot 17690 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg, VA 20176 | 703-771-6800 | emc .vetmed.vt.edu closest to the admissions office entrance and will bring horses in for care. Clients will not be permitted to enter the EMC hospital complex. In addition, the EMC is receiving patients in need of emergency or urgent critical care; all other patients are placed on a waiting list. If your horse is placed on our waiting list, we will contact you asOur soon asboard-certified we are able to make yourveterinarians appointment. and advanced

andwetreatments helpallequine athletes Todiagnostics assist with call volume, are temporarily directing incoming calls to the EMC answering service. Please continue to call the main EMC and numbercompetitive at 703-771-6800. Our answering service achieve peak performance success. will take your message and relay it to our staff. Patient visitation has been temporarily suspended until further notice.

Virginia Tech MARION DUPONT SCOTT Thank you for your understanding and compliance with these necessary emergency policies. Our highest priority is to protectEQUINE the health and safety of EMC staff and clients so that we can continue MEDICAL CENTER to provide essential veterinary care for our patients. Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine We are grateful for your confidence in us and for the dedication of our veterinarians and staff to our clients, patients, referring practitioners, and each other.

Amy Rhodes is busy at The Fun Shop during Middleburg’s ninth annual l Ultimate Winter Weekend Sale.

A premier, full-service equine health facility offering

Sincerely, specialty care, diagnostics, and 24-hour emergency services

for horses of all ages and breeds.

Michael Erskine to learn about the latest advances in equine medicine and health. Director and Jean Ellen Shehan Professor 17690 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg, VA 20176 | 703-771-6800 | emc .vetmed.vt.edu

Healthy Living

YOGA

Middleburg Community Center

For the “At The Parish House” concert at Middleburg’s Emmanuel church, it was, “It’s All About Love.” Baritone James Shaffran and soprano Mary Shaffran performed love songs and melodies from Bach to Broadway. Sonya Subbaya Sutton accompanied on the piano.

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The Rev. Eugene LeCouteur, Rector at the Emmanuel Episcopal church in Middleburg.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Sally Price, executive director of the Land Trust of Virginia, checks the list of attendees for “The Biggest Little Farm” film, which chronicles the Chester family as they transform 200 acres of barren farmland to harvest. The evening also included a documentary about the Goose Creek and its importance to the local watershed.

Turner Smith: Crossing Swords at Middleburg Academy

Standing Seam Metal EST 1977

By Emma Boyce

hen Turner Smith returned to fencing after a 50-year hiatus, his protective equipment was outdated, the rules he remembered had changed, and, after decades of old world domination, the U.S., with silver and bronze medals at the 2016 Olympics, finally was becoming a force in the sport.

Turner Smith (right) on the attack.

PIEDMONT ROOFING

“When I went to Richmond to practice law there wasn’t any fencing,” said Smith, who had hoped to compete again after graduating Harvard Law in 1968. “The nearest clubs were in Washington, a couple hours away. It was not a big sport in the U.S. at that time. At the international level, U.S. fencing was non-existent.”

Smith began fencing as a walk-on at Princeton. After college, it took a backseat to military service, then law school and later, an illustrious career practicing environmental law in Richmond. By the time Smith retired to Middleburg, fencing clubs had begun spreading beyond the big cities, sprouting in towns like Manassas, Front Royal, Winchester. Quickly Smith realized he had two longtime fencers in his own community, one of whom, Richard Pantel, had been captain of the Princeton fencing team 15 years after Smith graduated. “When I got out of college you had to drive two hours to find someone to fence with and here was this guy who lived 15 minutes from me, been captain of the Princeton team, finished very high in the NCAAs senior year and was interested in getting back into fencing.” From there, Smith began training again. The foundation was the same, but the details were different, revising his muscle memory for a more modern version. After decades removed from competition, he competed twice in the over-70 division at the National Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Within time, Smith wasn’t just studying the game for himself, he had a whole team to look after.

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For the last two years, Smith has been coaching Middleburg Academy’s burgeoning fencing team. They practice in the cafeteria, each night pushing tables and chairs aside, then moving them back again before going home. Smith’s assistant coach, Erik Hennigar, the school’s science department chair, has a background in martial arts, but has dedicated himself to not only learning the sport, but staying late and making sure the electrical equipment works again in the morning. “There’s no red carpet,” said Smith, admiring his team’s spirit. “If you want to fence at Middleburg Academy you have to make your own place. You’ve got to want to do it and they want to.” Along with Smith and Hennigar, a trainer comes once a week from the fencing club in Fairfax. With limited access to fencing facilities and experienced coaches, Smith’s team is not nearly as established as schools like Georgetown Prep and Gonzaga, but they hold their own in competition. “The team has come a long way,” said Smith, who’s varsity team beat Georgetown Prep earlier this year. “I’m quite proud of them to be able to go toe to toe with teams like Gonzaga and Georgetown Prep. It’s a great level of accomplishment for the kids.” What makes fencing stand out for Smith now, is exactly what drew him to it at college, its inclusiveness. “Fencing is particularly great for some kids who otherwise wouldn’t be participating in another sport at the same level,” said Smith, who had no fencing experience before he joined the Princeton team. “It gives them opportunities. I really enjoy watching that kind of kid work hard and get better.” Smith hopes his fencers will continue beyond Middleburg Academy. U.S. Fencing National Championships begin at the junior levels and go through to the veteran senior divisions, including 80-year-old Men’s Epee. Whether Smith will make the drive to Columbus again remains to be seen, but he’s proven one thing about fencing. It’s a sport you’ll have for life.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

This horse is being examined for a hind end concern.

Photos by dillonkeenphotography.com

When Needling a Horse Pays Off

By Leonard Shapiro

he skittish five-year-old horse had taken a bad fall into a ditch out in the field and its emotional scars were clearly far more serious than any physical maladies. Once placid and easy to handle, he became aggressive, often biting, or kicking whenever anyone approached, and impossible to saddle. Enter Dr. Maureen Kelleher, a veterinarian at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg. Specializing in sports medicine, she also employs acupuncture and chiropractic methods, and she managed to get close enough to the skittish horse to stick an acupuncture needle in his forehead, just below the forelock.

Photos by www.dillionkeenphotography.com

Maureen Kelleher, DVM, CVA, Diplomate ACVS Clinical Assistant Professor of Sports Medicine and Surgery

“Within a couple of seconds, he had dropped his head and his eyes were droopy,” Kelleher said of a horse she had treated a few years ago, before she arrived in Leesburg. “I was able to touch him, with no biting, no kicking. Then I was able to get ten needles into him. I think the horse had just been in

chronic pain, with chronic adrenaline. It took that one needle to change the transmitters, release the endorphins and allow him to feel better. “When he went home, the owner called and said, ‘I don’t know what you did, but it was a different horse. She rode him the next day. And within three weeks, he was back in the show ring.” Kelleher and so many of her other veterinarian colleagues at the facility perform such transformative procedures on a regular basis. A native of Worcester, Massachusetts and a graduate of the University of California-Davis vet school, she’s been at the prestigious equine medical center since July, 2017. And she obviously loves the work, treating every type horse—show jumpers, three-day eventers, Western, racehorses and simple trail riders. “Because of where we’re located, the population of horses is very nice,” Kelleher said. “And you really have extremely dedicated owners. That makes it very special, too.”

Before treatment the horse is introduced to a smell of lavender essential oil.

The acupuncture needle can be seen here near the forelock

Dr. Kelleher places a needle in the back for this treatment.

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

PROPERTY Writes

WELCOME TO HERONWOOD FARM

There are 28 fenced paddocks at Heronwood and the clapboard run-in sheds have three sides built with consideration of the winter winds. “Given the choice, a horse out in a field will run behind a hill with his back to the winter winds,” architect John Blackburn noted.

Heronwood is in magnificent horse country and prime Piedmont Hunt Territory.

he 501-acre Heronwood Farm offers a private, pristine 18-hole course for the golf aficionado and also features a fabulous equine facility. All of this sets the stage to keep everyone in the family happy in this stunning and unspoiled corner of countryside around Upperville. “The golf course, designed by Brian Ault, and the barns are in impeccable shape and there’s a regulation size polo field,” said listing agent John Coles of Thomas and Talbot in Middleburg. Yet, Coles, a life long horseman, does not play golf and has no time between his real estate business and role as a Master of Orange County Hounds.

The circa 1905 Grafton Hall is a classic Revival Style Manor House. Originally built as a Queen Anne Style home in 1883, it was destroyed by fire and the current home was built on its foundation.

Blackburn Architects in Washington, D.C. has done seven horse buildings on the property. Their attention to detail sets their work apart and defines it as truly distinctive. Owner John Blackburn studied all types of barns in the area and developed a contextual study for a broodmare barn, looking into roof forms, dormers versus cupolas and building shapes. The Federal style broodmare barn emerged with stone found on the property on each end of the 20-stall structure that includes three birthing stalls. “In turn this provided a pocket for the aisle doors to sit in,” said Blackburn, who played golf briefly in high school and has a childhood photo on top of a horse. He now devotes every moment to designing barns around the world.

“When they were looking for an architect in 1984, my former partner and I wanted something to fit into the Upperville landscape,” said architect John Blackburn, who bought out his partner in 1994, and is now the owner.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

Heronwood Farm is adjacent to the prestigious Upperville Horse Show grounds, home to the nation’s oldest horse show. The original horse show grounds were once part of this farm and known as Grafton Oaks.

The façade on the Federal style broodmare barn is finished with stone found on the property on each end of the 20-stall structure.

“Heronwood is a big barn,” he said. “It somehow needs to be as close to the conditions in the paddock as possible, the light is so important with the cycles of the broodmares.” To do this a skylight was added along the ridge, the length of the barn. Other horse structures include: a 16-stall yearling barn, three isolation buildings, numerous run-in sheds, additional stalls, an eight horse “hot walker”, enclosed lunging ring and a riding arena which all equal 45 stalls and 28 fenced paddocks totaling approximately 200 acres. The circa 1905 Grafton Hall is a classic Revival style manor house. Originally built as a Queen Anne style home in 1883, it was destroyed by fire and the current home was built on its foundation. Mr. Blackburn was asked to create staff housing and office space for Heronwood Farm within the manor house. Additional living quarters at Heronwood Farm include: farm manager’s house, staff house, stone Cottage and a service center with apartments. Heronwood is listed at $ 24.5 million by John Coles.

According to John Blackburn: “Natural light is so important with the cycles of the broodmares. To do this, a skylight was added along the ridge, the length of the barn.”

Blackburn Architects 1820 N St NW Washington D.C. 20036 202- 337-1755 www.blackburnarch.com

John Coles Thomas and Talbot Real Estate 2 South Madison Street Middleburg, VA 20117 540-270-0094 www.thomasandtalbot.com

Country ZEST & Style | Spring 2020

Cup of COFFEE

To Go, Or Not to Go Y

By Sean Clancy

ou can’t live your life in fear. A week ago, I left for the races in Cheltenham, England, the Corona Virus, at the time, was a concern, a hassle, a nuisance. Or so we thought…or so I thought. I left for England without fear. Trepidation, sure, but not fear. In what has felt like a very short and very long week, the heat has been turned up, a virus on the rise, the world is a strange place. The Masters, Carolina Cup, Miles’ Little League season, the London Marathon, horse sales, horse races, gatherings of any size are being postponed. Italy is in lockdown, the stock market has plummeted, schools are closing, businesses pressured and stretched. Cheltenham, in Gloucester County near the Cotswolds, felt like the last dance as the lights went down. Surreal. The mind volleyed back and forth. Am I being stupid or smart? Reckless or resistant? Brazen or bold? Deadly or defiant? I’m game, I rode jump races for 13 years, over 1,000 rides. But that was then, this is now. I’m different than the athlete who couldn’t see a spot on Bewray at the last hurdle at Morven Park in 1998, and he paid the most decisive price for my indecision. Thirty minutes later, at the same hurdle, I gunned Ballynonty for a spot I saw but he didn’t, he listened, got it, won the race, all for a check and a chance. I walked away that day, wondering about what coursed, or cursed, through my veins. I couldn’t believe what I was capable of, I shocked myself. I’m not alone, people take risks every day, jockeys take crazy risks every race. I think back to that day often, think about the boy I was then and the man I am today. I can’t relate to the boy and not sure I recognize the man. Maybe, it’s just the plane ride. Or Springsteen weaving words and telling tales in his documentary, Western Stars, which plays on the pullout screen in front of me. Some of us break down in hotel rooms, weep on long car rides, fall apart when we see an old friend or hear a favorite song. I get wistful and introspective on plane rides. It’s partly saying goodbye to my son, my wife, my life when I leave, thinking about what could happen while I’m gone, if the trip is worth it, if days when I’m away override days when I stay. And on the journey home, it’s saying goodbye to friends who I won’t see for another year, if we’re lucky. I walk into Cheltenham every year and think about a few friends who are gone, a few friends I can’t call and tell about the trip-changing late double, the cold froth of the Guinness, the long leap at the second-to-last in the Gold Cup. This year, the conversation would be about Epatante’s slicing through the Champion Hurdle field, ears pinned back like broken corn stalks. It would be about Champ, down and out at the last and then the dagger thrust at the wire and so much more. Yeah, I would tell them about all that we would relish in a sport that we’ve shared for all these years. I do the same at Saratoga each summer, on the drive, I think about the ones who are gone, the ones who won’t hear the stories, share the dreams. Yeah, I’ll be 50 in April, there are more and more missing, fewer and fewer conversations each year. Life.

Sean Clancy has a Middleburg cup of coffee at Common Grounds Should I have gone to Cheltenham this week? Was this a barbaric move? An act of selfishness? Have I put myself, and more importantly, my wife and son and others at risk? I’ll be content with the memories, the moments, content with the decision to go to Cheltenham, only when I know we are clear from an invisible virus that has the world reeling, wondering, questioning. Springsteen just finished with a three-word goodbye. “Travel safe, pilgrim.” We wait. We simply wait.

Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2020

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CLEREMONT Upperville ~ The Impressive & Historic 1511 acre Estate & Prize Winning Cattle Farm of Cleremont is an assemblage of 3 contiguous farms, which can be purchased separately. Through exceptional management, which is willing to stay, this is some of the most magnificent farmland with 33 verdant pastures, natural water resources and forest, which creates a haven of tranquility. $13,000,000

TULEYRIES

MUSTER LANE The Plains ~ 108 gorgeous acres, This Stately and Historic Estate with its grand rooms is in prime Orange County Hunt Territory, minutes to Middleburg. It also features a pool and pool house, 5 bay garage with office, 2 tenant houses, newly remodeled 11 stall center aisle stable with apt. & office, riding arena and exceptional ride-out to wooded trails and open pastures. $7,250,000

Boyce ~ Exquisite Federal Style Mansion, c.1833, features 12’ ceilings, dramatic curved stairway and 5 en-suite bedrooms. Sited on 406 acres in 3 parcels with Easement Potential. Built by Joseph Tuley, Jr., later purchased by Graham Blandy, who bequeathed over half of the original estate to the University of Virginia. Estate also includes 3 tenant houses, 12 stall stable with renovated 3 bd. apt. & numerous historic structures. $5,000,000

CHUDLEIGH FARM SECTION 2

(Adjacent to OATLAND VIEWS SECTION 1) ALDIE ~ 379.75 Acres on the north side of Oatlands Road between Rt. 15 and Snickersville Turnpike. Currently divided into 16 HOMESITES developed under the Low Density Development Option. Homesites range in size from 13.83 Acres – 38.12 Acres. Open Space Easement in place with potential for tax credits. $7,500,000

CHILLY BLEAK Marshall ~ This 152 acre horse farm features beautiful open gently rolling pastures and fields in prime Orange County Hunt Territory. The historic fieldstone home dates to 1820 with later additions creating a 5 BR / 5 BA home with stone terrace and pool. Two Stables - 15 stalls and 6 stalls, Kraft Walker, 8 paddocks, 6 fields, 3 cottages. The home is perfectly sited for privacy with easy access to I-66 and Rt. 50. VOF Easement. Shared listing $3,750,000 with Sotheby’s.

MORELAND FARM

CROSSWINDS Delaplane ~ Spectacular Views! Approximately 250 acres Heronwood Farm & Golf Course is on the is a once a lifetime opportunity to own acres inmarket! 2 parcels. This The primary parcel in of 142 acres features the 3 Delaplane ~ 72 501 Acre magnificent Horse Property in Piedmont Hunt SMITTEN FARM LANE BR/3 BA stone home accessed from Moreland Road, 2 tenant Territory. Features Handsome 7 stall stable perfectly sited TheofPlains ~ Finely built beautiful custom residence on 16 acres supporting including a large forsetting cross ventilation, by P. J.18-hole Williams and breathtakingly property in thehomes heartandofnumerous Virginia’s Huntstructures Country. Its stunning with abuilt private golffeatures an minutes from Middleburg in Prime Orange County Hunt 4 bay machine shed. The second parcel of 107 acres is on the upscale 1 bedroom + den apartment with screened porch. Territory. Designed for Grand horse Entertaining both inside and house oppositeand side tenant of Moreland Road, and currently offers a 2 BR Generator. Perfect for training Cross County/Eventing. course, world-class facilities, main houses is located on renowned Rokeby Road. This property is outside. The rooms graciously open into one another and lead tenant home with potential to build an additional primary Uphill gallop with good elevation, 100’ x 200’ riding ring dwelling. The 2 parcels may purchased in total or sepa- with Airport. outan to the deep porches, which wrap the home overlook all weather View footing,the 5 fenced paddocks and 2 run-in incomparable treasure withand easy access to Washington DCbeand Dulles International Heronwood $2,950,000 rately, neither of which may be further divided. $2,426,000 sheds. $1,050,000 the pool, grounds, gardens and conservatory. photo gallery at thomasandtalbot.com. Contact John Coles at Thomas & Talbot today for details: (540) 270-0094 Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

THOMAS & TALBOT REAL ESTATE 2 South Madison Street • Post Office Box 500 • Middleburg, Virginia 20118 • (540) 687-6500 www.thomasandtalbot.com

Country Zest & Style Spring 2020 Edition

Articles inside

Two Brave Men Honored as Civil Rights Stalwarts